Chemists strike over new rules for drug sale,leave patients stranded

Sachin Kumar,a pharmacist at Ambey Medicine Corner opposite AIIMS,said,“We were on strike,but patients started protesting near the shops by 10 am. By 12 pm,they had started blocking the traffic — the traffic jam went up to Yusuf Sarai.”

Kumar added that police officials had then intervened. “The local SHO was here along with traffic officials. They told us to reopen so that the patients do not face any more problems.”

A chemist at Bhutani International Medicos,another shop in the area,said,“Unless they shut AIIMS and Safdarjung,it is practically impossible to go on strike.”

Chemist shops around arterial hospitals in Central Delhi,including GB Pant,Lok Nayak and Ram Manohar Lohia,also remained closed till afternoon.

A doctor at GTB Hospital said,“Pharmacies outside the hospital were closed through the day,but the chemists’ shop in the hospital compound were open since morning,so patients were not inconvenienced.”

Likewise,hospital pharmacies in major private hospitals like Max,Fortis and Apollo were open,though pharmacies surrounding the hospitals were closed till afternoon.

According to the Association president Gupta,“Our strike was a success. Nearly 90,000 chemists in Delhi,Haryana ,Rajasthan and Orissa went on strike to protest the proposed changes to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940.

Meanwhile,doctors and government officials said the stir was baseless.

According to an official of Drug Controller General,India,“Antibiotic sales should be regulated as far as possible. The fact that chemists can go on strike on such a fundamental and justified policy decision shows that we have a long way to go in this country.”

A representative of the Delhi Medical Council reiterated that doctors supported the government decision,“The strike by the chemists is completely baseless and we oppose it.”