Mumbai: The All Food and Drug Licence Holders Foundation (AFDLHF) has warned that medical suppliers across the state will be on an indefinite hunger strike outside the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority on Monday to protest long-overdue payments.In a letter addressed to the procurement authority, the foundation said the suppliers have been under severe financial distress as the payments have been kept pending for over a year.“Particularly MSMEs are facing serious difficulties in meeting statutory obligations, employee salaries, banking commitments and payments to manufacturers and transporters,” AFDLHF said in the letter. The foundation said it is after several representations in writing, meetings with senior officials, and made repeated follow-ups on the issue that they are taking this step.It further said that the delay is also adversely affecting the uninterrupted supply of medicines, medical devices, surgical consumables and other essential healthcare products to government hospitals and primary health centres across the state..
