Meghalaya Joins Nationwide Protest Against Online Pharmacies

The one-day shutdown has been called to raise concerns over heavy discounts offered by corporate e-pharmacies, the alleged sale of spurious medicines, and the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance due to the use of unverified prescriptions.

In Meghalaya, the Meghalaya Healthcare Association (MHCA) has extended support to the nationwide protest and confirmed that around 2,600 medicine shops across the state will remain closed during the strike.

Speaking on the issue, MHCA President David Kharsati said the protest was necessary to oppose what he termed as the “illegal practice” of online medicine sales that allegedly bypass existing safety regulations. He further stated that the association is demanding a level playing field for traditional pharmacies and the withdrawal of certain relaxations introduced during the pandemic, which, according to the association, are now being misused by large corporate entities.

The MHCA has, however, appealed to private hospitals and nursing homes to honour outside prescriptions on the day of the strike to reduce inconvenience to patients requiring emergency medical attention.

While retail and wholesale medicine counters will remain shut for 24 hours, in-house pharmacies operating within hospitals and healthcare institutions will remain exempted from the strike to ensure uninterrupted access to essential and life-saving medicines for critical patients.

Residents have been advised to purchase essential medicines in advance to avoid inconvenience during the nationwide shutdown.