Move to check pilferage of drugs in govt hospitals

6 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

With a view to preventing pilferage of drugs, the health ministry has introduced new packaging for the drugs supplied to the government hospitals for distribution among the patients free of charge. The drugs with red and green labels on the packaging have already been sent to the district and upazila level hospitals, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said at the formal launch of the new packaging at the conference room of his ministry. "If drugs in this special packaging are found in any drug stores, legal action will be taken against them, as these drugs are not for sale," he said. The minister also said that the government has supplied some 500 types of drugs worth Tk 58 crore in new packaging to the district, upazila and thana level hospitals. Later, all the public hospitals would receive drugs in new packaging. The government has been procuring these drugs from some selected 25 companies. "The drugs cost one fourth the market price," said the minister. Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali and Director General of Health Services Prof Shah Monir Hossain were present at the launching ceremony.