Himachal: Chemists and Druggists on Strike Over Demands; Private Medical Stores in Shimla Shut

May 20, 2026

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has decided to observe a 24-hour nationwide strike against the online sale of medicines. Responding to the AIOCD’s call, chemists and medicine vendors in Himachal Pradesh also went on strike on Wednesday.

This strike is being held to press for demands to halt the online sale of medicines, curb corporate discounting practices, and prevent the sale of counterfeit drugs. The impact of the strike was also evident in Shimla, where medical stores across the city remained closed.

Consequently, patients were forced to wander in search of medicines and faced considerable inconvenience. However, government-run pharmacies at IGMC, KNH, and DDU remained open. Meanwhile, Sanjeev Pandit, President of the Himachal Pradesh Chemists and Druggists Association, stated that approximately 10,000 medicine vendors across the state are participating in the strike.

Private Medicine Vendors Keep Shops Closed in Nahan Amid Nationwide Strike
The nationwide strike, called to protest against the online sale of medicines and the heavy discounts offered by large pharmaceutical conglomerates (e-pharmacies) witnessed a mixed response in the district headquarters of Nahan. While patients faced no difficulties in the headquarters city itself thanks to the government-run pharmacy at the Medical College remaining open, residents of rural areas had to endure significant inconvenience.

In observance of the one-day nationwide shutdown called by the Chemists’ Association, most private medicine vendors in Nahan kept their shops closed. However, a source of relief was the fact that the government pharmacy located within the Medical College at the district headquarters remained fully operational. As a result, patients continued to receive an uninterrupted supply of medicines.

Furthermore, free medicines were also distributed to the general public from the Medical College’s pharmacy. Since the alternative arrangements within the city functioned smoothly, the strike did not have any major adverse impact on ordinary patients. Although conditions remained normal within the city, residents of rural and remote areas faced severe difficulties due to the closure of medicine shops in those regions.