Telangana DCA assures supply of essential medicines during bandh
Hyderabad, May 19
The Telangana Drugs Control Administration will ensure the availability of essential and life-saving medicines across the state in view of the one-day nationwide bandh call given by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists on May 20.
The Drugs Control Administration has issued a public advisory in the interest of patient safety and uninterrupted access to essential medicines.
Drugs Control Administration Director General Avinash Mohanty said in a statement that a meeting was held with the Telangana chapter of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, during which it was decided that pharmacy stores attached to hospitals would remain open to avoid inconvenience to the public.
He said the district chapters of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists would remain in close contact with Drug Inspectors to ensure the availability of medicines from local stores in case of emergencies.
In addition, corporate medical stores such as Apollo and MedPlus have been advised to keep their stores open.
The Director General said that in the event of any difficulty with the availability of essential or emergency medicines on May 20, members of the public may immediately contact the concerned local Drug Inspector or the Assistant Director of the Drugs Control Administration for necessary assistance and intervention.
He stated that the Drugs Control Administration was closely monitoring the situation across the state to ensure the availability of essential and life-saving medicines.
"All field officers of the Department have been instructed to remain vigilant and respond promptly to any issues relating to medicine availability or public grievances," Mohanty said.
The contact numbers and office addresses of Drugs Control Administration officials are available on the official website of the Telangana Drugs Control Administration under the "Key Contacts" section.
The public may also contact the Telangana Drugs Control Administration at the toll-free number 1800 599 6969 for assistance or information on the availability of medicines.
The Drugs Control Administration has appealed to all stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring uninterrupted access to medicines for the public during the bandh period.
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists and the Hyderabad Chemists and Druggists Association have announced that medical shops will remain closed on Wednesday in protest against recent amendments to drug regulations and the functioning of online pharmacies.
They said the unrestricted operation of online pharmacies and digital medicine platforms could lead to the misuse of medicines, rising antimicrobial resistance, and serious risks to public health.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who works in healthcare, I understand the chemists' protest against online pharmacies and misuse of drugs. But bandhs always hurt the common man the most. My father had to rush to a hospital pharmacy last bandh for his heart medication because local shops were shut. At least this time they have a plan, but honestly, a peaceful protest without disrupting patient care would be better. 😔
I moved to Hyderabad from the US last year for work, and these bandhs are something I'm still getting used to. Back home, pharmacies are considered essential services and rarely close. Glad to see the DCA stepping in—reminds me of how the FDA would manage during emergencies. Hope this becomes a template for other states to follow.
I support the chemists on the online pharmacy issue—there's a real risk of misuse and antibiotic resistance when anyone can order medicines without prescription. But a bandh on a working day? Why not hold a dharna or submit a memorandum instead? My wife is a nurse and she's worried about how we'll get emergency supplies for our patients. DCA's arrangement is decent but they should have negotiated more with the association to avoid this altogether. Arre yaar, patients should not suffer!
Having lived in Delhi and now working in Hyderabad, I've seen both union and government negotiations. The DCA's advisory is a good Band-Aid solution, but the underlying issue of drug regulation and online pharmacies needs a proper policy discussion. Also, hope the local drug inspectors are actually reachable tomorrow—last time during a similar situation in Mumbai, the numbers kept ringing busy. Let's see how this plays out.
R Rohit P