93pc pharmacies in Dhaka keep expired drugs
About 93 per cent pharmacies in Dhaka were found to keep expired drugs although it is completely prohibited, according to the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
The directorate, in between November 2018 and April 2019, conducted mobile court drives at 200 pharmacies in different areas of the capital -- including Gulshan, Mirpur, Kalabagan -- and found expired drugs at about 186 stores.
As an action, the national consumer rights body also awarded different amount of fine to the pharmacy owners and sealed some of the stores on a temporary basis.
Monjur Mohammad Shahriar, deputy director of the directorate, unveiled the findings at a discussion held at AKM Giasuddin Milky Auditorium in the capital’s Khamarbari area today.
Bangladesh Supermarket Owners’ Association organised the event on the occasion of the World Food Safety Day, observed on June 7.
Speaking at the programme, Monjur said, “It is very much alarming for the nation that the majority of the pharmacies in the capital were found to keep expired drugs.”
“I fear that the situation of the entire country is worse as whatever irregularities we have found so far happened in Dhaka only,” he added.
After finding such irregularities, the consumer rights body informed the Department of Drug Administration about it and had several talks with the pharmacy owners’ associations in this regard.
“We tried our best to make the pharmacy owners aware through the talks. As a result of that, I believe that the situation is improving gradually,” said Monjur.
He also said that they directed the drug stores to keep the expired drugs separated from other medicines and put the tag “Not for Sale” on the packets.
The government official shared the data of their mobile court drives conducted in between January and April this year, where the newspaper found a total of 100 stores were fined in the four months for selling expired drugs.
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