KOCHI: People from various walks of life have come forward stressing the necessity of opening medical shops at night in the city as it could be advantageous to the patients.Noting that there was a need to open medical shops at night in a city like Kochi, Mayor Tony Chammany has said the corporation is willing to convene a meeting with the pharmaceutical and drugs association in this regard.“The medical shop owners should see it as a public service. In a city like Kochi that has a large number of hospitals, at least one or two shops should be kept open throughout night on a rotation basis,” he said.The City Express on Thursday had reported that the city doesn’t have even a single medical shop operating anywhere after 10 p.m. Even in an emergency situation, people have no option but to run from pillar to post to save their dear ones’ life.Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden said at least one shop had to be opened on rotation basis. “As they have some social commitment, they should make sure that shops are opened at least on a rotation basis in some regions,” he said.Stating that it was certain labour issues and safety concerns that has been raised as reasons by medical shop owners for not opening the shops in the night, Eden said the drugs association should discuss this and make it a point that at least one shop was opened in alternative areas.Dr Sunil Mathai of the Indian Medical Association said it would be advantageous if at least one medical shop was opened on a rotating basis in two-to-three km radius.“The medical shop owners say that it is not cost-effective to open a shop in the night. Moreover, they have pointed out that almost all the hospitals that have casualty facility are equipped with in-house pharmaceutical stores,” he said. All-Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association secretary Antony Tharian told Express that the association would look into the issue of opening the drug stores on a rotation basis and a decision would be taken at the earliest.
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