Protesting against online sale of medicines, medical stores across the country remained closed affecting several patients on Wednesday even as the association has threatened to continue the stir indefinitely if their demands are not met.
President of Bhopal Chemist Association lalit Jain said that the online shopping of medicines would increase the black marketing and at the same time would affect the quality of drugs. In the protest around 20000 medical stores across the State and 1250 medical stores in the city remained closed.
The strike incurred a loss of Rs250 crore to the State while trade in the city of Rs50 crore would be impacted. General Secretary of All India Chemist and Druggist Association Suresh Gupta said that the Government would loss control over the sale of medicines.
Virendra Jain of Madhya Pradesh Chemist and Distribution Federations (MPCDFA) claimed that the strike is unconstitutional and the Government had called a meeting in which a delegation would raise their issues. The Drug Controller General of India has invited suggestions and objections by October 30 for selling medicines online.
At the Dawa market two shops were witnessed opened after 2 pm which provided some relief from the strike for the patients who were in need of medicines. Patients were forced to buy medicines at higher prices and at places the medicines were sold at double the rate of original price which was sold by the medical stores that cashed in on the chance to mint money.
Same was story of the chemist shops with the private hospitals which were found selling covertly medicines at higher prices than the marked prices of the medicines.
The medical stores at Red Cross hospital, Hamidia hospital and JP hospital remained active during the strike. District Collector Nishant Warwade has instructed the Chief Medical Health Officers (CMHOs) for ensuring the availability of medicines.
The State Government has made arrangements for the medical stores in the premises of private hospital to remain open and give medicines. Bhopal Chemist Association and Madhya Pradesh Chemist and Distribution Federations (MPCDFA) have claimed differently over the strike. The MPCDFA said that the medicine traders associated with them would not join the strike.