CMHT, PMJAY empanelled pharmacies to halt supply
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 22 2025: Pharmacies empanelled under the Chief Ministergi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) schemes have warned of halting supply of medicines to beneficiaries of the scheme at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) from April 25 if the hospital authority do not clear the pending payment.

JNIMS hospital has been providing cashless treatment to patients under the two government health schemes, with medicines supplied free of cost by empanelled pharmacies.

Source said that funds for this purpose were released by the government to the JNIMS authority this year on January 6 and 14 for CMHT and on January 17 and April 11 for PMJAY .

However, the JNIMS authority has not yet disbursed the payments to the pharmacies.

Acknowledging that the government is yet to release additional funds for the treatment costs incurred by the hospital under both schemes, the pharmacies, which have continued to supply medicines despite the pending payment, say the prolonged delay has caused severe financial hardship.

They have made repeated written and verbal appeals to both JNIMS and government authorities, who have responded with assurances but no action.

The pharmacies stated that they can no longer sustain the supply of medicines without receiving the overdue payments and will stop supply from April 25 onwards.

The move is expected to severely impact CMHT and PMJAY beneficiaries who rely on free medicines and treatment at JNIMS.

Many patients may be forced to bear out-of-pocket expenses, undermining the objectives of the two flagship healthcare schemes.

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