the goan I network
PANAJI
Speaking to The Goan, president of the All Goa Chemist and Druggist Association (AGCDA) Prasad Tamba said there was no central decision taken yet and that the message was just a hoax.
“GST rates are yet to be finalised for any commodity. Currently, the rates for pharmaceutical products are at 5 per cent. We are yet to receive confirmation from the central association but it is expected that the rate will be kept at 4 per cent. There have also not been any instructions given to reduce existing stocks,”
said Tamba.
The official rate is expected to be announced by May 20, following which the association will take a decision on what to do with the existing stocks. Tamba further added that messages being circulated on WhatsApp were infact a hoax and said there was
no need for patients to be worried.
Aldona-based pharmacist Savio Figueiredo meanwhile said major distributors were keeping their inventories low for the transition once GST was implemented but that there would not be any
shortage.
“All will try and keep their inventory low for the transition, but there will be no shortage as such. Yet, since GST applies to the manufacturers (and their suppliers), distributors and retailers at all India level, one can be sure there will be some confusion over a week or two,” he said.
He instead suggested that patients visit their doctors ahead of June, buy a month’s stock in mid June to last you till July 15 and stock up
on important and life saving medicines like anti diabetics, including insulin,
cardiac products, blood thinners, anti hypertensives and kidney related
medicines.
