Punjab Patients Cross Into Himachal for Psychotropic Medicines Amid State Suspension

Patients in Punjab’s border towns are crossing into neighbouring Himachal Pradesh to buy essential prescription drugs after a statewide sales suspension entered its third week.

The disruption stems from a directive by the Punjab Chemists Association halting the distribution of medicines listed under the psychotropic drugs category.

Residents in border areas like Ropar district face hurdles in obtaining regular medications. The shortage affects individuals managing chronic health conditions across multiple towns.

Nangal town inhabitants Amit Kaushal and Himanshu Sharma explained that they were forced to make the trip to Himachal Pradesh because local Punjab pharmacies had run out of their required medications. They noted that the halt had worsened their struggles, forcing people who need ongoing treatment to cross state lines even though they held legitimate doctor’s prescriptions.

The suspension affects patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy, chronic pain, anxiety disorders, and gastrointestinal ailments. Prescribed drugs like Pregabalin, Tramadol, Tapentadol, Clonazepam, Etizolam, Alprazolam, and Dicyclomine are currently missing from shelves across Punjab.

According to Sudershan Chaudhary, state vice-president of the Punjab Chemists Association, retailers and distributors throughout the state have halted the inventory and retail of psychotropic medications in line with the group’s resolution. He stated that the action was taken over alleged harassment by enforcement agencies and restrictions imposed after the Jhota murder case.

Despite the stoppage lasting nearly a fortnight, he pointed out that authorities had not reached out to the group to negotiate a settlement. “Since we suspended the sale of these medicines, we have not received any call from the government for talks to address the harassment being faced by chemists over the sale of psychotropic drugs.

Until the matter is sorted out, we will not resume the sale of these medicines in accordance with the association’s decision,” he said. He argued that the honest pharmacy network and drug vendors ought not to be blamed when unauthorized persons abuse these pharmaceutical products.

Karan Chaudhary, a chemist, said that restrictions governing the sale of certain medicines had created confusion among doctors, patients, and chemists. “Doctors are recommending Pregabalin in doses of up to 900 mg per day to certain patients. However, chemists have been restricted from selling more than 75 mg of Pregabalin to patients. We are trapped between enforcement agencies, patients and doctors. The government must intervene and sort out the issue,” he said.

Despite numerous phone and WhatsApp outreach efforts, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh could not be reached for a statement.

The Punjab Chemists Association suspended sales due to alleged harassment by enforcement agencies and restrictions imposed following the Jhota murder case.

Patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy, chronic pain, anxiety disorders, and gastrointestinal ailments are struggling to access medications like Pregabalin and Tramadol.

Patients living in border towns such as Nangal are crossing the state boundary to procure required medicines from pharmacies in Himachal Pradesh.