LAHORE: The Chemist Association is on strike against amendments in the Drug Act. Owing to the strike, patients faced considerable difficulty as medical stores outside Lahore’s Mayo Hospital remained closed.
The new amendments, amongst other clauses, call for a pharmacist to be present at every pharmacy and for sellers of fake medicines to be fined.
According to details, the wholesale market and distribution of medical supplies in Karachi will also remain closed. The representative of the Chemist Association claimed that important decisions with regards to Sindh will be taken up in Lahore today.
In Lahore, a split has occurred between protesters involved in the selling and manufacture of medical drugs. The Retailers Association has decided to postpone their strike till February 20 after the negotiations with the government, whereas pharmaceutical companies are standing firm on the decision to protest against the Drug Act.
On the same time differences have also emerged in Pakistan Pharmaceutical Association as one group has delayed the strike till February 17 after dialogue with Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir.
The amendments in the act have tightened the rules for medical stores. The law now requires medical stores across Punjab to employ a pharmacist.
Stores selling unregistered medicines will be sealed and charged a hefty penalty, as per an amendment in the Drug Act. Areas observing the strike include Changa Manga, Vehari, Pindi Bhattian, and Toba Tek Singh.
The wholesale medicine market remained closed on Monday in Karachi with supplies to medical stores suspended as an act of protest by the Wholesale Chemist Council of Pakistan.
