State druggists join country wide strike, close shops

Bhubaneswar: Nearly 17,000 druggist and chemist shops in Odisha have shut their shops across the State on Friday in support of the call given by the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists. However, all shops in the government hospitals will remain opened to ensure that those in urgent need of medication do not suffer.
Utkal Druggist and Chemist Association, Odisha, has decided to stage dharna at every district administration office apart from demonstrating in front of the Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar to support the nation-wide strike.

The druggists have decided to join the stir to protest against the new drug policy of central government which reduced their trade margin on medicines. The chemists have also demanded amendment in the law regarding spurious drugs.

The medicine traders took such step demanding abolition of Drugs Act-2008 (Amendment), amendment in the new drug policy-2013 and elimination of FDI in retail pharmacy.