The first Jan Aushadi Medical store, as mandated under the Pradhana Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana, was opened in the city today.

The stores will sell generic medicines for diabetes, cardiac problems, blood pressure, gastro ailments, apart from vitamins, antibiotics, among the 550 medicines available under the scheme, said EV Shiril, managing director of EVS Med, which is entrusted the task opening of these stores, speaking at the inaugural function.

Stating that the company planned to open 50 medical centres across the districts of Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Tiruppur in the first phase, Shiril said that 25 such centres will be opened in Coimbatore in the next two months.

The company plans to open 75 stores in this fiscal, in the first phase from Coimbatore to Chennai and move southwards in the second phase, he said.

The company will also start home delivery services within a month of the opening of shops. Mobile Jan Aushadi Medical stores to cater to rural areas are also on the anvil, he said.

Generic medicine are unbranded ones, which are identical or the bioequivalent to the branded ones and has the same efficacy in terms of therapeutic values to its branded equivalent, he said.