Some of the essential Drugs Prescribed to the patients by Hospital Doctors are being sold at higher Prices more than 37 folds at Private Pharmacies when compared to the Government Pharmacies according to health sources.
According to the Government Pharmacists an essential Cholesterol drug “Rusovastatine” 10 Milli Grammes prescribed for
the patients to buy outside is being sold in Government Pharmacies for Rs.4.10 per tablet while in Private Pharmacies it is sold for Rs.150.25 per tablet.the same thing applies to the essential drugs including “Cholesterol Drug”Atovastatine”,Diabetic Drugs “Glyclazide”,”Metformin” and Pressure Tablets “Enalapril” Government Pharmacists have stressed.
As Sri Lanka is still not having a National Drug Policy although trying to implement such a policy since two decades ,Private Pharmacies are increasing the prices of drugs without any control due to the absence of a price control mechanism they have further said.as throughout the island there are only around 26 Government owned Pharmacies, most of the people in rural areas are not able to getting the benefit of purchasing the good quality drugs for lower prices through these pharmacies it has been stated.
The Draft of the National Drug Policy which has prepared recently is too found as having so many lapses as it’s not even able to address the needs of the patients it has been revealed.
