LAHORE - Chemists’ associations announced to call off their strike after successful negotiation with the government team yesterday, paving way for opening of medical stores Thursday.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Kh Imran Nazir agreed to bring fresh amendments in Drug Act to remove reservations of stakeholders after hours-long negotiations with representatives of different chemists associations at Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Rana Sanaullah said that the legislation was aimed at checking fake and spurious drugs. He said that international laws would be followed while making fresh amendments in recently passed Drugs Act. He added that amendments would be made to remove reservations of stakeholders.
Successful negotiations will lead to opening of medical stores today and ending of miseries of hapless patients that continued for three days due to shutter down. With the exception of chains and those in the close vicinity of tertiary care hospitals, all the medical stores owners observed complete shutter-down strike on the third day yesterday, adding to the woes of patients across the province including Lahore. Medical stores closed down their business to protest against recent amendments in Drug Act. Closure of majority of medical stores in big cities including Lahore caused people to approach model pharmacies inside hospitals and those in the close vicinity for getting necessary medicines. People running from pillar to post in search of prescribed medicines criticized both the government and the medical sore owners for creating such a situation. “It was the responsibility of the government to take all stakeholders into confidence before making any law. This matter should be resolved through negotiation,” said Atta Muhammad, a resident of Samanabad, who was purchasing medicines from a store outside Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
“It is a pity that the medical stores continued strike even after the tragic incident of Faisal Chowk. Even if all their demands are genuine, they should have postponed strike at least for 10-15 days. It seems they (medical store owners) have nothing to do with the sufferings of ailing humanity. Their only concern is setting own terms for business,” said Rana Ashraf, who needed to go to Model Pharmacy of Jinnah Hospital for getting medicines for his ailing mother.
Retailers Association Chairman Ishaq Meo said “we are not in favour of such strike.” He said that notifying the Drug Act in such haste has put question mark on the sincerity of the government. “What was the need of forming a committee to remove reservations of chemists when the government desired implementing act in any case.” As such, Meo said, proceedings of the committee would be a big joke.
He said that retailers have nothing to do with demands of pharmaceutical companies and they have reservations on deleting some medicines from dispenser licence in July 2017.