CDAG General Secretary Lyndon D’Silva said the decision was arrived at as their parent body, All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists Association (AIOCD), decided to defer the bandh following a meeting between AIOCD and Health Ministry officials in Delhi on November 16.
AIOCD was represented by its general secretary Suresh Gupta. It was brought to the ministry’s notice that despite of online pharmacies being ruled illegal by different courts, they still exist in some areas and continue to sell scheduled medicines without prescription which is increasing the threat of misuse of prescription drugs.
Health Jt Secretary K L Sharma assured AIOCD that corrective measures will be taken to stop online illegal sales of scheduled drugs and such sales will be permitted only if the drug laws are amended after the expert committee submits its report.
In view of the assurances given by the government to find an amicable solution to the existing problem of more than eight lakh chemists across India, D’Silva said that AIOCD has decided to postpone the proposed strike, so as to give time to the government to come out with a solution.
All medical stores will be open on Wednesday, as it was never the intention of CDAG to put the people to any inconvenience because of non-availability of medicines.
