Pharmacy strike shuts thousands of medical stores in Hyderabad on May 20, leaves patients searching for medicines
A nationwide pharmacy strike on May 20, 2026, left many patients in Hyderabad searching for medicines as thousands of pharmacies closed their doors. The strike was organized by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists to protest against e-pharmacies and alleged irregularities in online medicine sales. While most local pharmacies were shut, hospital pharmacies and some corporate chains remained open to provide essential medicines to patients in need.
- ▪Thousands of pharmacies in Hyderabad participated in a nationwide strike against e-pharmacies.
- ▪Patients were left without access to medicines, leading to long queues at open hospital pharmacies and corporate chains.
- ▪The strike aimed to protect patient safety and support small chemists against competition from online platforms.
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Thousands of patients across Hyderabad were left searching for medicines on Wednesday ( May 20, 2026) after pharmacies downed shutters as part of a nationwide strike against e-pharmacies and alleged irregularities in medicine sales online.Outside the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Punjagutta, 65-year-old Lakshamma slowly walked out of the hospital along with her son, clutching a prescription for medicines prescribed to treat her knee pain. The two expected to purchase the medicines from one of the many pharmacies lining the busy road outside the hospital.“I came here because of pain in my knee. The doctor checked me and prescribed a few medicines. There was a huge crowd at the pharmacy inside the hospital, so we thought we would buy them outside,” Ms. Lakshamma said.
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