PHARMACISTS ABSTAIN FROM WORK OVER PENDING DEMANDS

LUCKNOW: Patients had to wait for about an hour on Thursday morning as around 8,000 pharmacists deployed at government hospitals across the state sat outside the drug distribution counters to mark their protest against senior officials for ignoring their long pending demands.

“The decision to abstain from work was taken due to the ignorance towards our long pending demands. Officials held several meetings and assured us of fulfilling our demands but nothing happened,” said Sunil Yadav of Diploma Pharmacist Association (DPA).

Some of their demands are wage revision, creation of district level posts for pharmacists and ensure the pending promotions.

On Thursday morning, pharmacists reached the hospitals and sat outside the drug distribution counters tying black badges on their arms to mark their protest. As a result, patients had to wait for about an hour.

Patients start coming to these counters at around 9am. “I was among the first 10 people to see the doctor and reached the drug distribution counter at 9.30am. However, the staff said the work here will start after 10am,” said an attendant at the Civil Hospital.

Medicines were distributed only after 10am in urban health centers. In rural areas, the boycott was observed from 10 am to 12 noon.

Yadav also said that from December 10, the pharmacists in large number could go on leave if their demands were not met.

“The officials assured us several times but did nothing. We are aware of the problems that will be faced by the patients who actually are not responsible for fulfilling our demands, but protest is our only resort to draw attention towards our problems,” he said.

› Officials held several meetings and assured us of fulfilling our demands but nothing happened SUNIL YADAV,

Diploma Pharmacists’ Association