Chemists call off strike

LAHORE: Chemists have finally agreed to call off their strike in Punjab after a government assurance of a review of certain amendments to the Drugs (Amendment) Act 2017.

The Punjab government has constituted a committee comprising relevant government functionaries and representatives of pharmaceutical and chemists’ bodies to bring in certain amendments in line with international laws; whereas both parties have agreed to eliminate the menace of spurious medicines in the province.

However, both parties differed over the status of the ongoing strike. The government claimed late Wednesday night the strike was called off while chemists said they had only postponed their protest till the redressal of their grievances.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah heading a government team comprising government team comprising Ministers Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Health Department Secretaries Najam Ahmad Shah and Ali Jan Khan held negotiations with representatives of pharmaceutical and chemists’ bodies led by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (North) President Dr Tahir Azam, Joint Action Committee head and PPMA leader Hamid Raza, Punjab Chemists Council (PCC) President Nisar Ch and others.

Pharmaceutical and chemists’ bodies, including PPMA, PTPMA, HPCA, PCDA, PCC, CPA, PTC, APHMA, LWCA, PNMA, PPA and WSRA (Rawalpindi Zone), gave a written undertaking to cooperate with the government in eliminating the menace of spurious and substandard medicines from the province.

“We, the stakeholders, agree to accept all laws framed in accordance with international laws, including FDA, US,” said a pharmaceutical and chemists’ bodies statement which also claimed: “The government has assured the stakeholders of removing the clauses of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2017, which are repugnant to international drug laws. Such clauses will not be implemented until all stakeholders agree to the law unanimously. The government has agreed to remove the apprehensions of all stakeholders with regard to Schedule-G set to be implemented from July 2017. The government has also agreed to exclude alternative medicine manufacturers (homoeopathic, Unani, Tibb, Herbal, Nuraceutical and others), which had applied for enlistment, from the scope of the enforcement of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2017 till completion of the process of their enlistment.” 

Meanwhile, the strike by chemists and medical stores continued for the third consecutive day on Wednesday to pressure the government to withdraw the amendments to the drug law despite The Mall tragedy.

The chemists of Lahore’s wholesale market, Lohari Medicine Market, and medical stores in front of mega hospitals and on busy thoroughfares kept their businesses closed, affecting thousands of patients. The medical stores that remained open charged at will.

Reports pouring in from other districts of Punjab also confirmed closure of medical stores. “Imagine if pharmaceutical workers, chemists and medical stores owners injured in The Mall bomb blast do not get medicines timely, would these striking chemists still keep their medical stores closed,” questioned Asif Saeed, a patient, who was desperately looking for medicines.

Later, addressing a press conference, Rana Sanaullah announced that negotiations between the government and pharmaceutical and chemists’ bodies proved successful and the strike had ended.

He said negotiations bore fruit and both parties reached an agreement through which amendments to the law would be proposed. Both parties agreed to inclusion of a neutral third party (firm) of international repute to evaluate the law for its neutrality. This firm would propose amendments to the law that would be taken up by the Punjab Assembly for consideration and approval.

Chaudhry Nisar said both parties agreed to a broader framework for the resolution of the deadlock which led to postponement of the strike. He said the campaign for their rights would continue and they would be satisfied once the law was amended. He said the Chemists Council would do all to ensure quality at retail outlets.