Centre to provide doorstep-delivery of medicines with orders through Whatsapp, email

Amid the Coronavirus outbreak in the country, several Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) have started accepting orders for medicines through WhatsApp and e-mail to ensure easier procurement of medicines by patients during the lockdown, the Centre said on Tuesday.

“It is heartening to note that many PMBJKs are using modern communication tools including social media platforms like WhatsApp to provide better services in effecting faster delivery of essential medicines to the needy,” Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda said in an official release.

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Currently, there are over 6,300 PMBJKs functioning in 726 districts of the country ensuring the supply of quality medicines at affordable prices. According to the government statement, in April 2020 around Rs. 52 crores worth of medicine was supplied across the country. In addition, supply arrangements with India Post have also been made for supply to remotely located stores.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: Total cases soar to 49391; 125 deaths reported in last 24 hours

COVID- Situation in India

The country has seen 2,958 new cases in the last 24 hours. According to the latest update from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the number of total Coronavirus cases in the country has climbed to 49,391, including 33,514 active cases. While 1,694 deaths have been reported overall, around 14,183 people have been cured/discharged/migrated.

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 15,525, followed by Gujarat at 6,245, Delhi at 5,104, Tamil Nadu at 4,058, Rajasthan at 3,158, Madhya Pradesh at 3,049 and Uttar Pradesh at 2,880. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,717 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,451 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,344 in West Bengal, 1,096 in Telangana, 741 in Jammu and Kashmir, 671 in Karnataka,  548 in Haryana and 536 in Bihar.

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READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: Total cases soar to 49391; 125 deaths reported in last 24 hours

(With inputs from ANI)