Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 10: Like other parts of the country, Chemists and Druggists across Jammu and Kashmir today observed a day-long strike in protest against non-fulfillment of demands by the Union Government.
All medicine shops in the State remained shut today with traders across Jammu and Kashmir observing the bandh on the call from All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD).
AIOCD is objecting to a reduction in trade margins for medicines in the Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013, and is also opposed to FDI in distribution and sale of medicines.
In Jammu, members of the Jammu and Kashmir Medicine Dealers’ Association (JKMDA) also took out a protest march and held demonstration near Press Club here besides keeping their shops closed.
They raised slogans against FDI in pharma and the new drug policy by the Union Health Ministry, which recommends a 6 per cent reduction in profit margins for medicine retailers.
While addressing the JKMDA members, convener of the Association Rohit Sharma stressed that FDI in pharma could not be acceptable at all because it was not in the interest of the chemists.
He said that apart from all India issues, the State association also has some genuine demands which included no acceptability to State’s new drug policy and at least opening of a Pharma College in the State.
“The most important issue is in view of the recent spurious drug scam in Jammu and Kashmir. When authorities collect samples from the traders and chemist shops, which in case are substandard, we are also made party. It is not right,” Mr Sharma said adding that in such cases, manufacturers are to be booked and not the shopkeepers.
“Instead of making us party, we can be made witness. We sell the medicines only prescribed by the doctors,” he explained.
The Association also demanded that any person, who is graduate and able to read the English language and doctors’ prescription, should be allowed to carry forward the business of his family or employer.
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