Medicine stores at Bapuji Nagar in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, May 9: More than 17,000 medicine shops, including around 3,000 whole sellers of the state, will join a 24-hour strike called by the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) tomorrow.

However, more than 200 medicine shops functioning on the premises of government hospitals, including community health centres and primary health centres, will remain open.

Similarly, medicine shops located inside corporate hospitals will also not join the strike.

State committee member of AIOCD Choudhury Prabir Kumar Dash said that though the wholesale shops would be closed, in case of any emergency, medicines would be provided to the retailers.

“We do not want the public to suffer. So, instructions have been given to shop owners functioning on the premises of government hospital to open their shops.

“We have provided contact numbers so that emergency drugs can be provided to the retailers,” said Dash.

The organisation has called a 24-hour nationwide strike protesting against the government’s policies, including the reduction of price of medicines and implementation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the distribution and retail of medicines.

The association also want resolution of the long-pending issue of shortage of pharmacists and suitable amendment to Rule 65(15)(c) of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules to allow a partner or proprietor to dispense medicines.

Another demand put forward by the association is that the government should not permit the FDI in the distribution and retail of medicines.

“Keeping the rising operational costs in mind, we demand to maintain the trade margins of medicines and not to reduce it in the forthcoming Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013,” said Dash.

Sources said the business loss because of the strike would be around Rs 100 crore.

State health secretary P.K. Mohapatra said that the government has instructed authorities of all three medical colleges and hospitals to keep adequate stock of essential drugs.

“The chief district medical officers have also been instructed to stock essential drugs during the strike,” said Mohapatra.

However, residents of the state are not in favour of the strike.

“Medicine is a essential service. How can the shop owners disrupt it for 24 hours,” said Kishore Sahu, a resident of Bhubaneswar.