Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, May 06 2009:
Medicine stockists in Manipur under the aegis of Manipur Chemists and Drug Association (MCDA) went on a strike Wednesday in protest against heavy monetary demands by a state based militant outfit and threatened for a mass protest off all chemist shops in the state if the demands were not withdrawn by the concerned outfit.
During the sit-in-protest held at the Keishampat junction in Imphal West, the association called on the militant outfit to withdrawn their demands.
They also call on the state government to look into the matter and help solve the situation.
They warned a bigger agitation of all chemist shops in the state if the withdrawal was not done or should the government fail in helping them to a solution.
Informing that the MCDA was a part of the All India Organization Chemist and Druggist (AIOCD), the association revealed it was facing a hard time controlling the import of fake/spurious drugs into the state especially due to the heavy taxes.
In this situation, if the MCDA has to pay extra taxes, it would not be able to control the import of spurious drugs and this could lead to AIOCD canceling the affiliation of MCDA and warned that this could mean more import of spurious drugs and the people of the state consuming sub-standard drugs which could lead to heath hazard.
Revealing of the demands, a member of the MCDA informed the militants earlier demand Rs.10 lakhs each from two chemist shops.
But when having come to learnt that there exist an association of the druggists the militants called up an executive member of the MCDA and demanded Rs.5 lakhs for each of the MCDA members.
And as the association cannot pay such a huge amount, we protest it, added the member.
Appealing the militants to withdraw their demands, the MCDA also call on the state government to help them solve their problem.
They warned of an all Manipur chemist shops protest should their demands not be met.
During the protests, the MCDA members displayed placards which read, "Withdraw monthly demands from chemist shops", "Make pharmacy free zone", "Due to the demands scarcity of life saving drugs may be face", "Save medicine trade in Manipur", etc.