The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) organised a shutdown of medical stores on Wednesday to protest against the growing online sale of medicines and the lack of stricter regulations governing e-pharmacy platforms.
Photo: SNS
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) organised a shutdown of medical stores on Wednesday to protest against the growing online sale of medicines and the lack of stricter regulations governing e-pharmacy platforms.
In support of the shutdown, around 41,000 medical stores across Madhya Pradesh, including more than 3,000 in the state capital Bhopal, remained closed in protest against the online sale of medicines.
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Only medical stores operating inside hospitals were exempted and remained open for patients.
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In Bhopal, wholesale medicine markets in the old city remained closed throughout the day.
Medical stores located outside major hospitals, including JP Hospital, Hamidia Hospital, and AIIMS Bhopal, also remained shut.
During the demonstrations, protesters raised slogans and burnt symbolic effigies representing online medicine sale platforms.
According to AIOCD General Secretary Rajiv Singhal, retail and wholesale medicine traders across the state supported the protest.
He asserted that the issue is directly linked to public health. He alleged that there is still no clear mechanism to monitor the quality and regulation of medicines being delivered door-to-door through online platforms, which is a serious concern.
Bhopal Chemists Association president Jitendra Dhakad expressed apprehension that online medicine trade could increase the risk of distribution of fake, expired, or incorrect medicines, potentially endangering patients’ lives.
He stated that medical stores functioning inside hospitals had been exempted from the shutdown to ensure that patients did not face inconvenience.
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