A nationwide, one-day closure of pharmacies has been announced by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), potentially causing disruptions across the country. In response, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken proactive measures to ensure the supply of essential medicines remains uninterrupted.
Strike Details and Reason
The strike is being held to protest against the unregulated surge in online pharmacy delivery platforms. The AIOCD has called for a complete shutdown of medical shops for one day, which could affect patients who rely on regular medication.
Maharashtra FDA's Response
The FDA has communicated with various stakeholders, including sellers, hospital-attached pharmacies, and 24-hour medical stores across the state, urging them to maintain the supply of essential drugs. Officials stated that continuous dialogue is being maintained with associations, district collectors, police administration, civil surgeons, district health officers, as well as private and semi-government hospitals.
Central Control Room Established
A central control room has been set up at the FDA headquarters to address any issues related to medicine supply. Citizens can call the control room number 9890293253 for assistance. Additionally, zone-wise contact officers have been appointed for Mumbai to handle emergencies:
- Zone 1 (Colaba-Byculla): Ajay Mahule, 9423610325
- Zone 2 (Mahalaxmi-Bandra W): Hemant Ade, 8169393681
- Zone 3: P.H. Raut, 8007877754
- Zone 4 (Kurla E-Mankhurd): Punam Salgaonkar, 8108129001
- Zone 5 (Bandra E-Mulund): Shital Deshmukh, 9404173518
- Zone 6 (Khar-Andheri): Rakesh Edlawar, 9619207976
- Zone 7 (Jogeshwari-Dahisar): Aarti Kambli, 9323951496
Appeal to the Public
Officials have appealed to the public not to believe any rumors. If any difficulty arises regarding the supply of medicines, citizens are advised to contact their district FDA control rooms. The authorities are committed to ensuring that essential medicines are available to those in need despite the strike.
This article was contributed by Eshan Kalyanikar, a health journalist with Times of India, Mumbai.
