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Congress Says Costly Medicines Burden Patients, Urges Modi Government Exit
Congress says the prices of some medicines are making it harder for patients to pay for care.
Jairam Ramesh shared a news report about medicine prices on Monday.
The report said inspections in Uttar Pradesh found big differences between what pharmacies paid for medicines and the prices printed on their packages.
Ramesh said one injection that cost Rs 74 was sold for Rs 4,980.
He also claimed that some healthcare services in Uttar Pradesh cost patients up to 67 times the actual cost.
He said one 21-day course of a cancer medicine costs about Rs 58,000.
According to him, taking that medicine for a year could cost around Rs 10 lakh.
He blamed the government and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leave office.
These figures and accusations were presented by Ramesh and the report he shared.
Congress accused the Narendra Modi government of allowing expensive medicines to burden patients across India.
Jairam Ramesh made the criticism on X on Monday while sharing a media report.
The report said Uttar Pradesh inspections found large gaps between medicine procurement costs and printed maximum retail prices.
Ramesh claimed an injection costing Rs 74 was being sold for Rs 4,980, and patients in Uttar Pradesh were charged up to 67 times the actual cost for healthcare services.
He said a 21-day course of one cancer drug costs about Rs 58,000, or around Rs 10 lakh annually, and said Modi should leave office.
- Who
- Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the Narendra Modi government.
- What
- He said expensive medicines are burdening patients and called for Modi to leave office.
- Where
- The claims concerned patients across India, including inspection findings in Uttar Pradesh.
- When
- Monday; no date was provided.
- Why
- Ramesh was responding to a media report about medicine prices and discrepancies between procurement costs and printed maximum retail prices.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications
- Platform
- X
- Reported injection price
- Ramesh claimed an injection costing Rs 74 was sold for Rs 4,980.
- Reported Uttar Pradesh disparity
- Ramesh claimed patients were charged up to 67 times the actual cost for healthcare services.
- Cancer drug course
- Ramesh said a 21-day course costs approximately Rs 58,000.
- Estimated annual expenditure
- Ramesh estimated around Rs 10 lakh for the drug over a year.
- Inspection findings
- A media report said inspections in Uttar Pradesh found significant discrepancies between medicine procurement costs and printed MRPs.
Quotes
Jairam Ramesh
Congress general secretary in charge of communications
“Due to the Modi government's anti-people policies, the burden of expensive medicines is mounting on patients across the country, yet the prime minister,l much like Nero, remains busy playing his own tune.”
m.rediff.com
Sources
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