50% of the medical stores in Gujarat are bustling without the presence of pharmacists, violating the Drugs Act. Yet the health department is turning a blind eye. There is a risk to the health of the people due to extortion and vandalism. Due to some corrupt officials of the Drugs Commissionerate, suspicious trade is being done by ignoring the drug laws. Out of the approximately 40 thousand medical stores in the state, 35% do not have a registered pharmacist. 95% of the medical stores are selling medicines without a doctor’s prescription, which is a complete violation of the law. Such activities are going on in most of the medical stores in the state and even though the officials of the Drugs Commissionerate are aware of it, no action is taken. Due to the severe shortage of drugs inspectors in the state, these regular surprise checks are not done. Since some officers are dominant in the political lobby, after retirement they have brought many extensions and kept their chairs safe. There is no control of the government or the health minister over this department, which is compromising the health of the people. Investigation has revealed that some saboteurs do not allow new recruitment in this department so that their shops can continue.
Compromising the health of the people:
Not a single standard or rule is followed in the medical store. Due to the negligence of the health department, a medical store running without a pharmacist can sometimes cause serious consequences. The rule is that if you want to run a medical store, it is necessary to have the qualification of a pharmacist. But ordinary traders do business by having a pharmacist’s certificate. In such stores, the installments of the officers of the drug office are tied up. Last year, the central government amended the Pharmacy Act against the operators who run drug shops without a pharmacist and decided to take strict action against the elements that compromise the health of the people, including a fine of one lakh to two lakh rupees and three months in prison, as part of taking strict action against the elements that compromise the health of the people. To avoid this fine, the operators of medical stores tie up installments to the drug inspectors. By order of the central government ministry, it is mandatory to have CCTV cameras in all medical stores. But this rule is not followed in Gujarat. The government claims that it is our responsibility to protect the health of the people, but the laliwadi running in the medical store proves that the government does not care about the health of the people. Only corruption and extortion are used to administer the entire department.
