The members of the Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch (MASM) led by its convenor Advocate Abani Gaya staged demonstration in the front of the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division) in support of a 10-point charter of demands here on Tuesday.
Prominent among the demands include reducing the prices of both essential commodities and lifesaving drugs causing serious inconvenience to the common man, besides stabilising the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas which have been spiralling regularly.
Speaking to mediapersons, Gaya said it is quite unfortunate that, the national pharma price regulating/fixing body reportedly had taken a decision to increase the cost of around 800 essential medicines including the lifesaving drugs like antibiotics, diabetics, cancer, asthma, and some essential medical devices to 12.12 percent which is unjust as well as patient-hostile. When people are demanding an allocation of 6% of the country’s GDP for providing free medicines and free treatment to all, the decision of the Union Government to increase the price of essential medicines is absolutely anti-people, he said and demanded a rollback of the proposed hike from the essential medicines and medical devices immediately.
On the other hand, some senior doctors frequently remain absent in their duties in MKCG MCH as well as in the City Hospital. The Manch demanded to fix accountability on them. Besides, the Manch demanded to open indoor facility for Neurology and Nephrology patients; supply good and qualitative medicines under Niramaya Scheme; keep open the Niramaya Medicine Counter in every hospital up to 6 pm; provide life support ambulance; open second gate of MKCG MCH and stop parking fee before the hospital.