Last Updated on December 31, 2023 by The Health Master
Chemist shops to be identified by Sr. Nos. instead of names to avoid fleecing by private chemist shops on the campus of PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh has received a complaint against these chemist shops.
New Idea for allotting the chemist shop
PGIMER came up with the idea after it received complaints that private chemist shops are using the name and symbols resembling with AMRIT.
AMRIT, government-run Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) pharmacies. In future, the Chemist shops to be identified by Sr. Nos.
Around 15 chemist shops on the premises of the institute have been allotted space by the institute to run pharmacies.
The shops are allotted space through a tender process and the monthly rent of some shops on prime locations, which witness a huge rush of patients from the emergency wing, is more than ₹1 crore a month.
To avoid duplicity at the time of allotment of shops, the institute administration has denied permission to chemist shops to use the name of AMRIT pharmacies, officials said.
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The AMRIT retail outlets, which sell drugs at highly discounted rates, have a very comprehensive list of medicines.
The medicines are affordable and accessible to all and are sold at discounts between 50 and 80% in the AMRIT outlets.
Officials say that a few shops have installed boards which resemble that of AMRIT.
Even the picture of the Prime Minister is used to show association with the government scheme.
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Dr Ashok Kumar said that shop allotment will be done only on the basis of numbers and thus leave minimum scope for manipulation.
“The institute is making guidelines in this regard, next time, we will use numbers for identification of the shop and these chemist shops to be identified by Sr. Nos. instead of names,” said Dr Kumar.
