As the Department of Health & Family Welfare (DHFW), Nagaland, begins enforcing its order under Rule 65(2) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, and Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, pharmacies across Nagaland are facing closure due to the absence of registered pharmacists. The All Nagaland Pharmacy Association (ANPA), in a press conference held in Kohima on June 20, said the state is not ready for this policy and that the current crisis is the result of systemic failure. They further appealed for a reasonable time extension for compliance.
“Since February 2025, with the closure of pharmacy without pharmacists, we have been dehumanised and made to feel like we were running our pharmacy illegally. We want to say today that we are also a victim of a corrupt system,” said Lima, General Secretary of ANPA.
Explaining how pharmacies have been operating, Lima said: “The pharmacies in Nagaland are run only after obtaining a license from the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DHFW). We pay for the license and after every five years, it is renewed, and for that we pay the renewal charge as well. So, we are legally running the pharmacy.”
“We are laymen. When we want to open a pharmacy, we go to the department (DHFW), write an application and we seek license from the department. The department gives us the license. So, they have been giving us the license,” he said.
“Only recently we learnt that the actual system is when we apply, we need to take a pharmacist certificate along with us. But the department never asked us for the certificate,” Lima added.
He said that though the department claims the order has been in place since 2020, the pharmacy community came to know of it only in 2021.
“Department is claiming that since 2020 this order has been issued. But the first time it came to the notice of the pharmacy community was in September 2021,” he stated.
Holding up a certificate, Lima said: “This retention certificate I hold was given in December 2023, valid till 2028. If they knew that they are going to close them down without the licensed pharmacists, why did they issue it in the first place? They also issued new pharmacy licenses even in 2024. So, we want to ask, how is the department functioning?”
Lima further explained how district-level pharmacy unions were formed after the department started issuing orders in late 2021.
“DHFW started issuing orders to appoint registered pharmacists in later part of 2021. The pharmacy community took cognizance and started forming pharmacy union in all districts, and representations were submitted to the department, appealing for extension of time due to lack of qualified pharmacists in the state,” he said.
“They gave us 2–3 months’ extension and we acknowledged that. But when the department started implementing the policy with earnestness, the need for a state-level association was felt, and hence on March 13, 2025, ANPA was formed.”
Before that, pharmacies were represented by the Nagaland Medical Dealers Association (NMDA), which ANPA says failed to take initiative.
“We were not satisfied with their initiative. They didn’t even call for a consultative meeting with the rest of the districts. Till today, Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima have been held up by NMDA. We appeal to NMDA that we have no differences with you, and it will be beneficial if we all collectively stand together.”
Lima said multiple representations were submitted: “NMDA submitted representation for extension to the Principal Director of DHFW but the reply was negative. Another representation was submitted to the Commissioner Secretary but the response was negative. Another representation to the Chief Minister but the response is still awaited.”
“We were denied appointment by our Minister of Health & Family Welfare. We are yet to get an appointment from the Chief Secretary as well,” he added.
On the policy itself, Lima said: “We are trying our best to appoint pharmacists, but Nagaland does not have enough qualified pharmacists. We have taken the orders very seriously and this organisation was formed, and we are putting in efforts, but we don’t have enough qualified pharmacists in our state.”
“Nagaland, being the only state in India that does not have a pharmacy institute, is faced with acute shortage of qualified pharmacists.”
“Even India as a nation does not have enough pharmacists, so they have started offering diploma courses in pharmacy. No state in India thus far has successfully implemented this policy.”
“According to Controlling and Licensing authority, Nagaland is the first state trying to implement this policy.”
“Even the Nagaland Government is unable to send adequate number of students under the government quota to study pharmacy. So, we want to ask, what are the efforts taken to mitigate this problem? Is Nagaland in a position to implement this policy?”
Citing data published by DHFW in Nagaland Post, Lima said: “The ratio of pharmacies in Nagaland to the number of registered pharmacists is 1,157 operational pharmacy and 278 registered pharmacists.”
“Out of 278 registered pharmacists, 252 are government employees, so they cannot run pharmacies. So, 25 pharmacists are left to look after 1,157 pharmacies. This is going to put public health in complete chaos and disarray.”
“Even in the state capital, Kohima, some colonies like AG, Lehrie, Mehrülietsa will be left without a single pharmacy if the policy is implemented.”
Giving district-wise figures, he said: “Other districts like, say, Meluri has six pharmacies with no registered pharmacists. Shamator, four pharmacies without registered pharmacists; Phek has 34 pharmacies with two in-service pharmacists. Is the government in a position to fill the vacuum?”
He stressed: “We would like to remind that till today, there is no case in Nagaland where a patient’s life has been lost or has been in jeopardy due to wrong medication.”
“We also want to remind how the service was given by the pharmacies during the pandemic,” Lima added.
“We are not saying the policy is bad, but this kind of drastic decision will impact public health significantly.”
Raising a broader question, Lima asked: “Health is a state subject as per the constitution, so we want to ask: does Nagaland have a specific Nagaland Health Policy? If yes, make it known to the public.”
Even in government-run health units, the shortage is evident.
“Even the government is unable to appoint sufficient pharmacists in Public Health Units. In Mon district, for instance, Shangyu, Oting, Wangching, Angphang, Yangkhao and others do not have pharmacists. In CMO Phek, out of 3 sanctioned posts, only 2 pharmacists are there,” he said.
He questioned the double standards in training: “If government itself is failing to appoint them, what is the solution? The government now is giving three months’ training courses to nurses to dispense medicine to patients. Shouldn’t the same yardstick be followed?”
As a way forward, Lima said: “We would like to suggest some programs: frame a state policy and let the transition be smooth. We hope that the department will come up with workable solution. Till such time, we appeal to the government to allow us to operate our pharmacy till the state comes out of its policy.”
He concluded by saying: “We appeal the state to look into the matter seriously. We are ready to co-operate and abide by the rules.”