Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Sep. 28: The ‘Bharat bandh’ called by the All India Organisation of Chemist and Druggist (AIOCD) on September 28 which also received support from the Nagaland Medicine Dealers’ Association (NMDA) in protest against the central government’s decision to allow e-marketing, or online sale of medicines by a few entities in India was said to be successful in Nagaland as per the NMDA president Ato Yepthomi.
Only 25 pharmacies were allowed to open across the state - three pharmacies each in Dimapur, Kohima and Phek and two each in other districts.
NMDA president Yepthomi told Eastern Mirror that the ‘Bharat bandh’ in the state was successful as called by NMDA with pharmacies remaining closed from 6 am to 6 pm. He also reported that the AIOCD submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 28 ‘opposing the sales/ dispensing of medicines over internet by web portals’.
The memorandum, which was also submitted to the union minister health and family welfare Jagat Prakash Naddaji, has sought the intervention of the ministry to stop the illegal business of medicines being made over internet by so called e-pharmacies; make suitable amendments in the act; and rules to make such business illegal as well as impose penal actions in case of violations.
Copies of the memorandum submitted to the PM Modi and Union Minister Naddaji was made available to Eastern Mirror by the NMDA general secretary Ashok Kr Singhal.
