SECL Inaugurates 216th AMRIT Pharmacy, Enhancing Healthcare Access in Coal Belt Regions

The pharmacy was established by repurposing vacant space next to the health center, demonstrating best practices under Special Campaign 4.0.

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India, has taken a significant step towards making healthcare more affordable and accessible with the inauguration of its fourth AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) pharmacy at SECL’s Health Centre in Indira Vihar Colony, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. This move makes SECL the first coal company in India to operate four AMRIT pharmacies.

The AMRIT pharmacy initiative, launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, provides a broad spectrum of generic and branded life-saving medicines, implants, and surgical consumables at highly subsidized rates. SECL’s pharmacies are aimed at benefiting employees, local communities, and particularly residents of underserved tribal and rural areas in the coal belt, ensuring access to affordable healthcare. The pharmacy in Bilaspur is the 216th AMRIT facility in the country, contributing to a broader network of accessible medical resources.

Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra, CMD of SECL, emphasized the company's commitment to inclusive growth, noting that the new facility aligns with the objectives of Special Campaign 4.0, which focuses on inclusivity and optimal resource utilization. "With the inauguration of our fourth AMRIT pharmacy, we are proud to enhance healthcare access not only for our employees but also for the larger community, particularly in tribal and rural areas of the coal belt," he stated.

The pharmacy was established by repurposing vacant space next to the health center, demonstrating best practices under Special Campaign 4.0. The three other SECL-run AMRIT pharmacies are located in the operational areas of Gevra (Korba district, Chhattisgarh), Sohagpur (Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh), and Chirimiri (Manendragarh-Chirimiri-Bharatpur district, Chhattisgarh). These pharmacies stock a wide range of medicines, addressing critical conditions like cancer and cardiovascular diseases, under one roof.

In addition to serving the broader community, SECL's initiative also benefits its employees by reducing medical reimbursement costs and providing direct access to quality treatment through the pharmacies. This step is seen as a key component of SECL’s strategy to ensure the judicious use of healthcare resources while promoting affordable and reliable medical care across coal belt regions.