Desperate families hunt for pills as 80% pharmacies shut across Assam

Guwahati: Patients and families struggled across Assam on Wednesday as pharmacies downed shutters in support of the nationwide strike by chemists.“I was in search of medicine for my ailing father with liver cirrhosis… I was shocked to see all pharmacies shut,” said Sukumar Bharali of Maligaon, who finally found relief at GMCH after a frantic search.In Mirza, Arati Das faced a similar ordeal while seeking medicine for her sick child. “Pharmacies are linked to healthcare — this bandh is a question of life and death,” she said, echoing the frustration of many caught in the daylong shutdown.More than 80% of Assam’s 20,000 pharmacies and medicine distributors remained shut on Wednesday in support of the nationwide strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) against online medicine sales and other demands.From Guwahati and nearby areas to districts and interior regions, most pharmacies stayed closed throughout the day. The Chemists & Druggists Association of Assam (CDAA), affiliated with AIOCD, described the strike as a major success. CDAA president NL Agarwala said more than 20,000 members across Assam joined the protest.“Chemists and druggists have expressed serious concern that medicines are not ordinary commodities, and uncontrolled online sales without proper verification pose a grave threat to public health, patient safety, and the regulatory framework established under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,” Agarwala and CDAA secretary Haladhar Deka said in a statement.The Assam Drug Dealers’ Association (ADDA) opposed the 24-hour nationwide shutdown, saying it would severely affect patients and disrupt healthcare services in the state. However, ADDA also reiterated its opposition to online medicine sales. The strike remained largely peaceful across Assam, though some pharmacy owners associated with ADDA alleged they were forced to close their shops by strike supporters.Pharmacies located inside hospital premises, including those in Guwahati, remained open. CDAA office-bearers said another 10 to 15 private pharmacies in Guwahati stayed open to meet emergency needs. Across the state, more than 500 pharmacies remained operational despite the strike, including those in nursing homes, private hospitals, govt hospitals, medical college hospitals, and outlets kept open by the CDAA to provide relief to patients.During the strike, a memorandum addressed to PM Narendra Modi was submitted through district commissioners and SDOs, highlighting three key demands — to stop the “illegal and unregulated online sale of medicines”, the “sale and home delivery of medicines without valid and verified prescriptions”, and “predatory deep discounting practices by online medicine platforms, adversely affecting small and licensed chemists”.The protesters also demanded the immediate withdrawal of two notifications issued by the Union ministry of health and family welfare on e-pharmacies and online medicine sales — GSR 817(E) and GSR 220(E). They alleged that these are being misused by online platforms and quick-commerce operators for unchecked medicine delivery.Pharmaceutical traders said chemists across the country worked tirelessly during the Covid pandemic as frontline healthcare support providers and ensured uninterrupted medicine supply. They added that despite repeated representations and evidence of “illegal online operations”, the authorities have not taken effective action.The chemist fraternity appealed to the Central govt to take immediate corrective steps in the interest of patient safety, public health, and the protection of lakhs of small licensed chemists and their employees.