Responding to the Union health ministry’s proposal for electronic platform (creation of e-portal) to track the movement and sale of medicines all over the country, the chemists  running pharmacies in rural areas in Tamil Nadu have expressed apprehension that the decision of the government will push them out  of medicine business.
 
Concerned over the issue, many rural chemists and druggists operating medical stores in interior villages have written to the government that they are unable to adapt to the electronic system for creating data bank of medicine details due to many reasons. They foresee a threat to their existence if  the government goes ahead with it’s plan.
 
They are of view that regulation of medicines put for sale should be carried out in a track and trace manner at the manufacturing level because the details of the medicines for sale can be provided only by the manufacturers and marketers. They can give the details of the movement of the drugs by area wise and to which dealers they supplied it. Besides, the sales report of every week or month, and the quantity of each drug distributed/supplied etc can be provided only by the marketers and manufactures.

Representing community pharmacies working among the rural public, the proprietor of Srinivas Medicals from Mannargudi, an interior village in Nagapattinam district, has sent a letter to the deputy secretary (drug regulations), under the ministry of health, saying that there should be a distinction between pharmacies working in rural and urban areas. The pharmacies in villages, especially in the interior parts of the rural areas, are working mostly with a view to help the rural public and the turnover of such outlets is very poor. Most of these shops are run by the licensees and their family members who are unable to withstand the daily expenses. In such a situation, the rural pharmacies cannot access internet facilities and computer in their shops.

“With very poor sales, the medical stores in the rural areas cannot afford the expenses for buying and installing a computer system in their shops. Many rural areas lack internet connectivity and the licensees do not know computer operations. In such a situation, rural pharmacies may not be able to upload all details in the computer and in the e-portal. Whereas, without these retail outlets, the people living in interior villages cannot avail medications for any emergency situation”, said the proprietor.

A chemist who runs a pharmacy in a village in Salem district said, the government or the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) cannot expect the rural chemists/pharmacists do the work of uploading details of the medicines bought, sold and returned. Most retail outlets in the villages may not be able to engage a person to do the computer work including uploading of details on the e-portal. The system of the electronic platform for drug sale regulation will become a burden for the customers due to the levy charged for it. So the track and trace system should be confined within the manufacturing level.

He said the proposal of the government regarding the e-portal will not help the public or the rural pharmacies, but it will force the community pharmacies working in rural areas of the country to close down.