Registration of private pharmacies:

Health Ministry earned Rs.180 m last year

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Health Ministry earned Rs. 180 million last year by registering private pharmacies and another Rs. 3.7 million by imposing fines on private pharmacies which violated the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Act No. 27 of 1980, Health Ministry Media Coordinator W N D Wanninayake said.

According to Wanninayake, health authorities took legal action and filled cases against 263 private pharmacies last year for violating the rules and regulations introduced for private pharmacies under the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Act. There are over 3,000 private pharmacies countrywide.

“The health authorities register new private pharmacies only if they are fully air conditioned. Old private pharmacies were given a grace period last year to be air conditioned.

All drugs need to be stored under a temperature of 27 C’ in order to keep their quality. But some private pharmacy owners keep their air conditioners off to save electricity and to save money,” he said.

“About 90 per cent of private pharmacies at present have adhered to the stipulated rules and regulations and are fully air conditioned.

“They do not issue drugs without prescriptions. This year, the health authorities will take further action to upgrade the quality of the service of private pharmacies. Private pharmacies should have a qualified pharmacist and should be fully air conditioned.

“Drugs should be issued only on production of prescriptions. They cannot sell expired or unregistered drugs and cannot sell drugs that are banned by the health authorities,” he added.