THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Citizens’ Friends’ Welfare Association (SCFWA) has demanded that the decision to close down Neethi medical stores should be withdrawn.
The representatives of the forum pointed out that the decision of the Central government’s National Pharmaceutical Price Control Authority to take away the price control of medicines has literally landed the common man in the lurch. But, Neethi medical stores were an immense relief to them, at this juncture. “The decision to close them down would hit common man severely,” said Amaravila Ramakrishnan Nair, general secretary, SCFWA.
“There were about 100 such medical stores. But a decision has been taken to close those stores which sell medicines priced below Rs one lakh. And seven of them have been closed. But the reality is that each Neethi medical store gets a revenue of Rs 5,000 every day. We strongly believe that there is a conspiracy behind the closing down of these shops. Whatever be the reason, Neethi medical stores were a help to common man and we want the government to repeal the decision,” he said.