Chemists association says farmer agitation is hitting medical supplies

All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which has around 8.5 lakh medical shops across the country as members, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention to ensure that supply of medicines which is disrupted due to the farmers’ agitation around Delhi.

In a statement issued here on Saturday AIOCD General Secretary Rajiv Singhal said most of the medicine production facilities are located in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh with main depots being at Ambala or Zirakpur. Due to the farmers’ protest, road transport from these regions to other parts of the country is heavily disrupted, it said.

“We fear, if the situation continues there would be shortages of essential medicines throughout India. We request therefore, kindly use your good offices to maintain supply of medicines by providing secure passage to transporters of medicines,” Singhal said.

AIOCD also appealed to the leaders of the protesting farmer organisations to allow transporters of essential goods such as medicines to pass through so that needy public can get medicines without interruption.