Shimla, May 20
A nationwide one-day symbolic strike called by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists against online medicine sales and e-pharmacies affected medical services across several states on Wednesday, including Himachal Pradesh, where most medicine shops remained closed throughout the day.
The strike, supported by more than 1.2 million chemists across the country, was organized in protest against the alleged unregulated operation of online pharmacies and the heavy discounting practices of large corporate companies. Patients in many areas faced inconvenience as local medical stores shut their shutters in support of the agitation.
Chemists’ associations claimed that online platforms are selling medicines without valid prescriptions and delivering them directly to customers’ homes, which they said poses a serious risk to public health. They also argued that deep discounting by e-pharmacies is threatening the survival of small licensed medicine sellers and creating a major livelihood crisis for traditional chemists.
As part of the protest, representatives of the chemist associations planned to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through local administrative authorities. In the memorandum, they demanded immediate government intervention to regulate online pharmacies, protect public health, and safeguard the interests of millions of small medicine traders across the country.
Protesters warned that if their demands are not addressed, the symbolic strike could escalate into an indefinite nationwide agitation in the coming days.
Despite the shutdown of private medicine shops, pharmacies operating under the Civil Supplies Corporation in government hospitals remained open, providing some relief to patients. However, traders cautioned that an extended strike in the future could lead to widespread disruption in the availability of medicines and healthcare services.
