—Claims act to be discriminatory
—Naem ul Haq urges provincial govt to resolve issue
The pharmaceutical companies have gone on strike, on Monday, against the new drug act in Punjab. Medical stores in several cities of Punjab and Islamabad remained closed, increasing the sufferings of the patients.
According to the details, the medical stores were closed on Monday till 3pm in support of the strike held across Punjab against the new drug act.
Owing to the closure of the main medical stories including D-Watson and Shaheen Chemists, patients faced great difficulties.
The protests being carried out by the medical store owners made the lives of patients as well as other people miserable.
The protestors carried banners and placards and chanted slogans against the act.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Tahir Abbasi, whose father was admitted in PIMS, said that he wanted to buy medicines for his sick father but all the medical stores were closed including D-Watson and Shaheen Chemists.
The man said, “He is in urgent need of the medicines but he was asked to wait till the medical stores open again”.
A senior pharmacist said that the Punjab drug act is discriminatory and harsh; hence it would not be accepted and they would protest to force the government to withdraw the act adding that the government should have taken the stakeholders into confidence prior to bringing the act, as the imposition of unilateral decision would not be tolerated.
National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said that the government never intended to bring any law that hurt the interests of the public, adding that despite assurance the pharmacists’ protest was beyond comprehension.
PTI Secretary Information Naeemul Haq criticised the Punjab government and urged the provincial government to take prompt action to resolve the issue.
According to the new drug act, a punishment of five-year jail with one million rupees fine has been announced for those who sell substandard medicines, five-year jail and five core rupees fine for those who sell fake medicines, ten-year jail and ten core rupees fine for those who sell medicines without a license.
