NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Chemists in the state downed their shutters on Tuesday in accordance with a nationwide 24-hour bandh call given by the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD).
The bandh was to protest against the government’s draft proposal for e-platform.
The strike was observed by nearly all chemists in the state excluding the pharmacies attached to government and private hospitals.
Calling the strike a success, Prasad Tamba, president of Chemists and Druggists Association of Goa (CDAG) said, “Over 600 local chemists participated and all pharmacies were closed.” Tamba said that chemists would continue opposing the e-platform proposal until the government concedes to their demand.
“The AIOCD is planning for an indefinite strike if the government does not scrap the proposal, and the local chemists will show solidarity,” he said. Countrywide about nine lakh chemists affiliated to the AIOCD participated in the strike.
The draft e-platform proposal aims at monitoring sale of medicines at the retailers’ end.
It requires chemists to scan and upload each prescription on the system before dispensing medicines.
Customers are to be given a sales invoice that is generated by the system. Further, the chemists will be required to pay one per cent transaction fee to the government as a cost towards maintaining the system.
Tamba said that the e-platform process is totally impractical due to the internet connectivity problems, and pharmacies not being computerised.
“Chemists are not willing to pay the transaction fee,” he said.
The previous strike call of chemists in 2015 was to protest against online sale of medicines.
The problem of online sale of medicines continues, and it has escalated with the number of e-commerce players increasing, said members of CDAG.
They said that with the government not paying any heed to their protests over online sale of medicines, they fear further hassles with the proposed launch of the e-platform system.
E-platform as proposed by the Ministry of Health is a draft proposal as yet.