PGI staff union disapproves of medical supdt’s decision

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 22 

The PGI staff union has condemned the decision of the Medical Superintendent (MS), Prof Anil Kumar Gupta, regarding the order of preference of chemists to buy medicines and has decided to go on a strike on Tuesday.

As per the order, the staff has to buy medicines from Jan Aushadhi and Amrit Stores. And if any medicine is not available there, then it should be bought from approved chemists. Members of the union said they would demonstrate in front of Prof Gupta’s office.

“There are 9,000 employees at the PGI. We cannot keep making rounds of different shops. We should be allowed to buy medicines from other chemists too,” said Ashwani Kumar Munjal, president of the PGI Staff Union.

 “We have been raising this issue with the Medical Superintendent, but he did not pay any heed. As he did not give us time to meet, so we have decided to go for a protest now,” he added. 

 “The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) has its own dispensary, but most drugs and medicines are intentionally purchased below annual consumption directly from pharmaceutical firms/ distributors. These drugs and medicines are then purchased by the PGI under the local purchase system from private chemists on high rates as compared to bulk purchase directly from pharmaceutical firms/distributors,” the union stated.