Mysore/Mysuru: Suvarna Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association General Secretary S. Manjunath has appealed to owners of all medical stores not to charge more than Rs. 1,700 for oximeter in view of current crisis. 

But Chemists say that the distributor has hiked the price of the product and the distributors say that the companies have hiked its prices. Now, the blame game begins.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Manjunath said that people were struggling due to lockdown in the State. Under this condition, it was their duty to extend co-operation by charging less on small medical items like oximeter, which was very much required for patients under home isolation. It has come to the notice of the Association that some shops were charging more for oximeter by taking undue advantage of the situation. “Please sell it at Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and not more than it,” he added 

Manjunath said oximeter of different models were sold from Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 3,500 causing confusion among people. Fleecing people in this hour of crisis was against their professional ethics and it was advisable to charge uniform rate for oximeter.

He said doctors were prescribing Remdesivir injection despite knowing that it was not available across the counter thus making people run from one shop to another with the prescription. So, doctors must not prescribe this injection, he added.

Continuing, Manjunath said that there is scarcity of paracetamol tablets, antibiotics, Vitamin C tablets, germicide gargle, anti-bacterial tablets, washable hand gloves etc., which is very essential to asymptomatic patients who are in home isolation. This shortage is also causing a lot of problems to them.

Meanwhile, Mysuru City and District Retail Chemists Association Secretary Arun said that there are over 1,000 medical stores in city and on an average 3-4 oximeters are sold in each medical stores.

“There is a huge demand for oximeters and distributors have hiked their prices, hence we too have hiked the prices. Distributors say that they have hiked the rates as the manufacturers have hiked the prices of their products,” Arun clarified.

He further said that an oximeter which was sold at Rs. 800 now costs between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,400. Oximeters of well- known companies cost between Rs. 2,300 and Rs. 2,500. “We are buying for higher prices and selling the same by keeping 20 percent profit,” Arun added.