The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has expressed concerns about the possibility of facing a shortage of essential medicines due to farmers agitation in Northern India. It has written a letter to PM Modi requesting to take immediate measures.

The letter states, “AIOCD, an association of medicines traders having pan India presence with over 8.50 lakh members, appeal to you for your intervention, which is required to maintain the supply of medicines in northern India. Due to the ongoing `Kisan Aandolan’, road transportation has been hampered in the North area.”

JS Shinde, President, AIOCD informed, “Most of the medicine manufacturers have their production facilities located in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and their mother depots are at Ambala/Zirakpur areas. Medicine supplies to various states of India are made by road transport and due to the Kisan Aandolan, road transportation has been disrupted heavily. We fear if the situation continues there would be shortages of essential medicines throughout India.”

Rajiv Singhal, General Secretary, AIOCD said, “We have written a letter to the PM, about the possibility of a shortage of essential medicines in the country due to farmers’ agitation. In our letter, we have also requested to utilise their powers to ensure the supply of medicines by providing secure passage to medicine transporters.”

“We are also requesting pharma companies to monitor the situation and initiate timely actions required to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential medicines across the country.”

Himachal Pradesh has a large pharma cluster. The state supplies 35 per cent of pharma formulations in Asia through its approximately 700 manufacturing units. Out of 700 units in the state, Baddi is home to around 650 units.