Licence renewal delay hits medical stores in Vizag region

Medical store owners across the undivided Visakhapatnam district are facing uncertainty due to alleged delays by the Drug Control Administration (DCA) in renewing retention licences. The delay has raised concerns over possible licence cancellations and mounting financial losses.

Sources said nearly 150 renewal applications have been pending for the last two to three months. The undivided district has around 4,400 medical stores. Of these, nearly 3,000 are in Visakhapatnam district, about 1,100 in Anakapalli district and over 300 in Alluri Sitarama Raju district.

As per norms, medical stores must renew their retention licence once every five years. However, owners whose licences have already expired claim that their applications were submitted on time but have not been cleared.

“We have been making repeated visits to the office, but there is no clear reply,” said a medical store owner from Visakhapatnam. “If the renewal is not completed within six months of the due date, the licence can be cancelled.”

The delay is also affecting daily business. Several owners said pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers are refusing to supply medicines without a valid retention certificate.

“Supplies have stopped, and our regular operations are badly hit,” another owner said. “This is causing serious financial stress.”

Owners said such delays are rare, as the renewal process is simple. It involves payment of a Rs 3,000 challan and submission of the application to the DCA. Normally, files are verified quickly and approvals are issued online.

Questioning the reason for the delay, medical store owners have appealed to higher authorities to step in and ensure early clearance of the pending applications. Attempts to contact officials of the Drug Control Administration for a response were unsuccessful.