40,000 Medical Shops Shut Across Tamil Nadu During Nationwide Chemists’ Strike

Chennai: An estimated 40,000 medical shops remained closed in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday as part of the nationwide strike by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), sources said. The association called for this one-day strike to oppose illegal e-pharmacy operations and predatory pricing by large corporate companies.

In response to the strike, drug control director’s office, Tamil Nadu, said that pharmacy chains affiliated with hospitals, including Apollo, MedPlus, Tulasi Pharmacy and Muthu Pharmacy, as well as state-owned retail outlets such as Chief Minister’s Pharmacies, Tamil Nadu Cooperative Society Pharmacies and Chief Minister Jan Aushadhi Kendras, did not join the strike.

Sources in AIOCD’s Tamil Nadu chapter said around 40,000 pharmacies in the state participated in the strike.

As a result, about 5,000 pharmacies remained open Wednesday, the office said in a statement.

In this regard, in order to ensure adequate and uninterrupted drug supply, the Drug Control Department has established district-based helpline numbers. Additionally, a total of 69 drug inspectors (at least two in each district) were assigned to closely monitor the availability of essential medicines, the functioning of pharmacies, and public health problems that arose during the strike.