Normal supply of medicines was disrupted throughout Odisha on Wednesday due to a nationwide strike organized by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). This protest was against the alleged unregulated operations of online pharmacies and the deep discounting practices employed by large corporate medicine retailers.
The Utkal Chemists and Druggists Association (UCDA) supported the 24-hour bandh, resulting in private medicine stores across the state closing their doors. This caused significant inconvenience for patients and caregivers relying on these pharmacies in cities and districts such as Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Jharsuguda, and Ganjam.
UCDA leaders reported that approximately 35,000 chemists and druggists across Odisha participated in the strike, marking it as a significant success in the state. Association president P. Satyanarayana and general secretary Prasanta Mohapatra called on the government to enforce a strict ban on online medicine sales and regulate the heavy discounting practices of corporate pharmacy chains, claiming these actions severely affect small and medium-sized medical shops.
In an interview with TNIE, Mohapatra mentioned that memorandums were submitted to the collectors of all 30 districts, requesting the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The memorandums expressed that the one-day shutdown was a symbolic protest against the ongoing inaction by authorities despite repeated requests to address the ‘illegal’ online sale of medicines.
Odisha Drug Control officials indicated that they had alerted field officers prior to the bandh and instructed them to monitor the situation. They noted that Jan Ausadhi Kendras and Niramaya centres associated with government hospitals remained operational to ensure continuous availability of medicines. In Cuttack, over 2,500 medicine stores were closed in response to the strike.
