Normal supply of medicines was disrupted throughout Odisha on Wednesday due to a nationwide strike initiated by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). This protest was against the alleged unregulated operations of online pharmacies and the deep discounting practices employed by large corporate medicine retailers.

With the Utkal Chemists and Druggists Association (UCDA) participating in the 24-hour bandh, private medicine stores across the state closed their doors, causing difficulties for patients and caregivers relying on these pharmacies in cities and districts such as Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Jharsuguda, and Ganjam.

UCDA leaders reported that approximately 35,000 chemists and druggists across Odisha took part in the strike, marking it as a significant success in the state. Association president P Satyanarayana and general secretary Prasanta Mohapatra called on the government to enforce a strict ban on the online sale of medicines and regulate the aggressive discounting practices of corporate pharmacy chains, claiming these actions severely affect small and medium-sized medical shops.

In an interview, Mohapatra mentioned that memorandums were submitted to collectors in all 30 districts, requesting immediate intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The memorandum expressed that the one-day shutdown served as a symbolic protest against ongoing inaction by authorities despite multiple appeals to address the ‘illegal’ online sale of medicines.

Odisha Drug Control officials indicated that they had informed field officers ahead of the bandh and instructed them to oversee the situation. They noted that Jan Ausadhi Kendras and Niramaya centres linked to government hospitals remained operational to ensure a continuous supply of medicines. In Cuttack alone, over 2,500 medicine stores were closed in response to the strike.