KABUL (SW): The officials of the Ministry of Public Health today (Tuesday) announced the establishment of a chain of pharmacies at a news conference in Kabul. According to them, the bidders have three months to submit their proposals to the MoPH to be considered for the contract.
Ferozuddin Feroz, the Public Health Minister said each pharmacy chain will contain 500 pharmacies that the existing pharmacies can supply only 70% of the chain and 30% of the chain would be completed by the creation of new pharmacies.
The Public Health Minister said the establishment of chain pharmacies, on the one hand, facilitates citizens’ access to quality medicine and, on the other hand, will improve the monitoring of the authorities on the drug market.
One of the current problems with drugs market is the import of drugs from different countries with different prices which will be solved by the creation of the chain pharmacies, Public Health Minister added.
The Public Health Minister said that for the establishment of a chain pharmacy, 15 million AFN deposit and 1 million AFN fee will be charged by the government.
According to the MoPH, there are currently more than 10,000 pharmacies operating in the country without pharmacists and hence non-professionals are selling drugs. However, with the establishment of chain pharmacies, pharmacists will be hired instead of non-professionals, Minister of Public Health added.
Minister of Public Health said that one pharmacy is required for every 1600 people and based on the population of the country, in the coming year 7 chains or 3500 pharmacies will be started.
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