Pharmacies Near Safdarjung, AIIMS Support Strike, but Remain Open

Pharmacies near Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS remained open while others in the city were on strike.

“We are open in larger public interest,” says a pamphlet on a pharmacy outside Safdarjung Hospital. (Photo: The Quint)

We are not against the association or strike. We are with them. We have our shops open in the larger public interest. Look at the print-outs we have put – one says ‘We support the strike’ and the other says ‘We are open in larger public interest’.
— Owner of a pharmacy near AIIMS

While over 12,000 pharmacists in the city joined the nationwide strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) protesting the e-retail of medicines, pharmacies near Safdarjung Hospital and the All India Institute of Medical Science remained open.

People from different corners of the city were seen buying medicines from these pharmacies, as pharmacies in their areas were closed due to strike. “My father has dengue. I’ve come all the way from Malviya Nagar to buy medicines for him,” a customer said. Some customers had come from Baghpat and Bijnor districts of Uttar Pradesh.

We can’t shut down even if we wish to do so. We have AIIMS and Safdarjung here, two of the largest hospitals of the country. Thousands of patients come here from all over the country, some of them are in emergency situations, some have their chemo due. What will we say to them? That we don’t have medicines for you? That we are on strike? We can’t do this.
— Owner of a pharmacy near AIIMS

The future of e-Pharma and its conflict with the old-school pharmacies is a debatable issue, but strikes like today’s are only going to trouble the public.