The Tamil Nadu government’s ambitious Mudhalvar Marundhagam scheme, launched in February 2025 to provide subsidised generic medicines, is facing early roadblocks. Pharmacies under the scheme are reporting limited stock, delayed supplies, and a lack of essential drugs—raising doubts over the initiative’s effectiveness.
While over 1,000 Mudhalvar Marundhagam pharmacies were opened in Phase 1 to make healthcare accessible to all, field visits by The Federal in Chennai revealed that many outlets are struggling to meet patient needs.
Stock shortages hit services
The Mudhalvar Marundhagam pharmacies, operated under the state’s Cooperation Department, are currently offering only 300–400 generic medicines. In comparison, the central government’s Jan Aushadhi Kendras stock over 2,000.
Patients expecting comprehensive access to medicines are returning disappointed.
“We often have to send customers back empty-handed because the medicines they need are out of stock. We place orders, but there’s no timely supply,” said one pharmacist.
“People come expecting to get all medicines in one place, but many categories—especially skin, cancer, and children’s medicines—are unavailable,” added another.
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Critical drug gaps
The shortfall is particularly severe in areas like oncology, dermatology, and paediatrics—fields where timely access to medicine is crucial. Pharmacy operators say some medicines sent by the government don’t move off the shelves, while essential ones are missing.
“If we’re given the right medicines, we can meet the demand. Instead, we’re forced to stock items that don’t sell,” said K Raju, a pharmacy proprietor.
“There are very few medicines for children or cancer patients, and we’ve asked for a return of unsold items,” he added.
Business model under strain
Low profit margins are another challenge. Pharmacists say selling government-priced generics is not financially viable under the current structure. Rent, staff salaries, and the volume of sales are out of sync with earnings.
“Private pharmacies can sell 10 tablets for Rs 1,000. Here, we need to sell 100 to reach the same number. Volume is key, but with the current stock, we can’t scale up,” said Karthikeyan, a pharmacy owner.
They also point out logistical delays in medicine procurement due to centralised ordering systems and lack of autonomy to purchase urgently required drugs externally.
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Urgent reforms demanded
Pharmacy owners have urged the government to:
- Expand the medicine range beyond the current 300–400 drugs
- Allow return of non-moving or expired stock
- Permit emergency purchases from external sources
- Include entrepreneurs in the drug procurement decision-making process
“We believe the struggle can be resolved. But we face 2–3 days of delays in medicine delivery, which affects customer trust,” said Raju, pharmacy proprietor.
Government response awaited
According to state health officials, the department is aware of the complaints and is working to streamline medicine supply before further expansion of the scheme.
While pharmacists support the intent of the initiative, they warn that unless stock, logistics, and financial issues are addressed, the scheme risks falling short of its promise to democratise healthcare access in Tamil Nadu.
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Uncertain road ahead
As the state deliberates on corrective measures, both pharmacists and patients wait in hope. For now, the Mudhalvar Marundhagam pharmacies remain a work-in-progress, with success hinging on swift government intervention and a patient-centric approach.
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