Kishoreganj pharmacies are selling government medicine that is for free distribution among patients in government hospitals. Although, selling government drugs is a punishable offense, government drugs are still being sold in Kishoreganj. According to sources, some dishonest officers of government hospitals are responsible for the sale of government drugs. It raises questions about the quality of healthcare, as poor people are not getting government medicines that they need.
Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), the only state-owned pharmaceutical company in the country, manufactures 137 item of drugs. Each year, EDCL supplies about 72 percent of the demand for medicines in government hospitals and other health care centers in the country. The government invested here to provide the public with free access to necessary medicines in government hospitals.
However, some dishonest officers and employees of the government hospital are selling the drugs outside the hospital. Therefore, poor people of the country are being deprived of essential drugs in government hospitals.
On the basis of secret news of expired medicines and government medicines being sold at M/S. Murad Medical Hall in Kariyal Natun Baza area of Kishoreganj Sadar upazila on Thursday (March 12) Senior AD Chandan Debnath, acting company commander of Kishoreganj RAB camp and Executive Magistrate Md. Ubaidul Rahman Sahel and Drug Supervisor Mst. Fowara Yesmin conducted a mobile court drive. At that time Md. Zahirul Haque Murad, owner of Murad Medical Hall was fined Tk 50,000 for selling government medicine, expired medicine and sexually stimulating drugs.
Senior AD Chandan Debnath, Acting Commander of the Kishoreganj RAB camp, confirmed the matter and said that when he asked the owner of the medical hall to show the license, he showed him the non-renewed drug license. The campaign will continue in the public interest, headed.
Kishoreganj Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman said that, the sale of government drugs is completely prohibited and legally a punishable offense. The matter will be investigated after questioning the owner of the pharmacy in which the official medicine were found.