In a significant development impacting Punjab’s healthcare and pharmaceutical trade, the Punjab Chemists Association convened a crucial state-level meeting in Ludhiana on Sunday.
The association announced a statewide strike on May 20 to protest alleged irregularities and unchecked practices of online drug companies.
Chemists across the state will register their protest from May 15-19 by wearing black badges, while on May 19, from midnight till May 20 midnight,chemist shops will remain shut across the state.
Office-bearers declared that wholesale markets across the state will remain shut during the symbolic strike, a decision unanimously supported by district presidents from several regions who attended the meeting.
The association accused online platforms of not only undermining traditional chemists’ business but also endangering public health by selling medicines without prescriptions or proper verification.
“Our opposition is not merely about trade but about public interest. Delivering medicines door-to-door without check and verification can fuel drug misuse among youth,” association members cautioned, urging the government to impose immediate curbs.
The association demanded that the Punjab government and health department frame stringent rules for online drug delivery and halt current practices. They warned that failure to act could escalate the agitation further.
The strike, however, is expected to cause inconvenience to patients and families dependent on wholesale supplies, underscoring the gravity of the standoff between chemists and e-pharma companies.
