CMS & ED · Primary Health Workers · Jan Ayush Sansthan
42 Essential Medicines — teaching list
The numbered 42-item classroom table for CMS & ED — first aid, rational essential-medicines education within law, and prompt referral when a case needs a hospital or specialist. Informed by WHO / NLEM thinking; not the full WHO Model List.
How this relates to WHO: The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) is the global reference. India publishes its own National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). CMS & ED uses a reduced 42-item teaching basket for primary-contact learning — not every WHO entry. Background: WHO Essential Medicines & CMS & ED.
About our brochure (PDF): The Jan Ayush brochure is not WHO endorsement or government validation. It is institute-published curriculum material — including this numbered table — based on our own research at Jan Ayush Sansthan.
The table below is for classroom orientation only. Practice, dosing, stocking, and availability follow current Indian law, NLEM or programme updates, and faculty guidance. Some names reflect traditional syllabus references; modern first-line alternatives are taught separately in class.
Note: The last column shows how CMS & ED training guides first contact in rural communities — these are not prescriptions. Refer serious, unclear, or long-standing cases to higher medical centres promptly. Graduates act as the first line of defence, not specialists.
| S.No. | Medicine | Form | First contact in village setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antacid | Liquid / tablet | Initial recognition of stomach burning vs danger signs; immediate referral when needed. |
| 2 | Antihaemorrhoidal | Topical / oral | Mild pain or irritation; immediate referral if bleeding or lump. |
| 3 | Aspirin tablet | Oral | Basic understanding of pain and fever; bleeding risk and age-related caution — classroom study. |
| 4 | Whitfield ointment | Topical | Mild fungal skin condition — practical use per syllabus. |
| 5 | Benzyl benzoate lotion | Topical (lotion) | External parasites (e.g. scabies); hygiene guidance. |
| 6 | Calamine lotion | Lotion | Itching or mild dermatitis; soothing care. |
| 7 | Activated charcoal | Oral | Initial poisoning information; actual treatment in hospital. |
| 8 | Chloroquine tablet | Oral | Study of traditional malaria drug; current national guidelines and resistance discussed in class. |
| 9 | Chlorpheniramine | Oral | Antihistamine for allergy and respiratory symptoms; drowsiness caution. |
| 10 | Cetrimide & chlorhexidine | Antiseptic solution | Wound cleansing, hand hygiene, and initial preparation. |
| 11 | Oral pills (contraceptive) | Oral tablet | Basic family planning information; consult a doctor for side effects. |
| 12 | Ferrous sulphate | Oral | Anaemia — after investigation; follow-up and referral rules. |
| 13 | Folic acid | Oral | Pre-pregnancy and deficiency prevention — community message. |
| 14 | Gentian violet solution | Topical solution | Mild mouth or skin infection where specified in syllabus. |
| 15 | Glycerine suppository | Rectal | Selective constipation; referral for obstruction symptoms. |
| 16 | Iodised salt | Dietary | Iodine deficiency — community prevention. |
| 17 | Lysol solution | Disinfectant | Home and community sanitation; dilution and safety awareness. |
| 18 | Magnesium trisilicate / aluminium hydroxide | Oral | Antacid combination; avoid long-term use; investigate if pain persists. |
| 19 | Mebendazole tablet | Oral | Soil-transmitted parasites; MDA discussion where applicable. |
| 20 | Oral rehydration salt (ORS) | Oral solution | Diarrhoea and dehydration — key part of rural education for children and adults. |
| 21 | Paracetamol tablets & syrup | Oral | Fever and mild–moderate pain; dose understanding and overdose avoidance. |
| 22 | Phenoxymethyl penicillin / amoxicillin / ampicillin | Oral | Common bacterial infections only under protocol; allergy and full course. |
| 23 | Vitamin A | Oral / drops | Deficiency and programmatic dose; basic overdose information. |
| 24 | Vitamin C | Oral | Deficiency recognition; appropriate understanding as supportive medicine. |
| 25 | Simple cough mixture | Oral liquid | Common cough; immediate referral for TB or pneumonia signs. |
| 26 | Tetracycline eye ointment | Eye ointment | Bacterial conjunctivitis initial stage; immediate hospital for eye injury. |
| 27 | Atropine | Injection / eye (per syllabus) | Emergency drug (e.g. organophosphate poisoning) — legal provisions very strict. |
| 28 | Ephedrine | Oral / parenteral (where taught) | Introduction to traditional use; cardiac and neurological caution. |
| 29 | Ergometrine | Injection | Postpartum haemorrhage information; hospital and midwife chain. |
| 30 | Povidone–iodine | Ointment / scrub | Antisepsis before dressing and minor procedures. |
| 31 | Lindane | Ointment | Legacy drug — classroom discussion of alternatives and ban status. |
| 32 | Piperazine | Oral | Traditional parasite use; alternative medicines may apply today. |
| 33 | Codeine | Oral | Antitussive category; controlled substance — respiratory depression caution. |
| 34 | Co-trimoxazole | Oral | Respiratory and GI infection prevention — per national protocol. |
| 35 | Ispaghula | Oral husk | Bulk stool; adequate hydration; obstruction caution. |
| 36 | Metronidazole | Oral | Anaerobic, amoebic, and Giardia study; alcohol interaction. |
| 37 | Primaquine | Oral | Vivax radical cure study; G6PD testing guidance. |
| 38 | Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) | Oral / powder | Antacid mechanism; other uses in syllabus and toxicity discussion. |
| 39 | Senna | Oral | Short-term constipation; avoid long-term use. |
| 40 | Sulphadimidine | Oral | Sulphonamide class basics; modern first-line alternatives taught separately. |
| 41 | Vitamin B complex | Oral | B-vitamin deficiency; referral for parenteral if needed. |
| 42 | Vitamin D | Oral | Bone health and deficiency; supplement per guidelines. |
Also see: CMS & ED programme · Course hub · WHO / NLEM reference · Hindi table: 42 औषधियाँ (हिंदी) · Supreme Court context 14/02/2003 on CMS & ED programme page.