CNI News
25 Oct 2022
The Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sought permissions from authorities to transport medicines to Rakhine State as stocks are very low in pharmacies in most townships in the state.
Currently, Rakhine State is currently short of medicines for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, a medicine trader told the CNI.
He said, “In the past, we can transport medicines with the permission of the chief minister. Some companies sought permission from the chief minister and transport medicines for us. Later, this was restricted. Now, medicine stocks are very low. We are now short of medicines for chronic diseases like diabetes. So, we sought help from the Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry.”
Medicines from Yangon and Mandalay are distributed to Sittwe and merchants from the state capital redistribute them to other towns.
A pharmacy in Yangon. (CNI)
Currently, transportation of medicines to Sittwe as well as to other towns in Rakhine State has been restricted, according to medicine merchants and pharmacies.
He would raise the issue with the Rakhine State Government after studying the situation on the ground, Chairman U Tin Aung Oo of the Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry told the CNI.
He told the CNI, “Medicine distributing companies and wholesale pharmacies told me last week that their stocks were very low. I will collect their requests and submit them to authorities after studying the situation on the ground. I will seek help from the state government.”
Due to restrictions on medicine transportation, companies that have won tender to supply medicines to hospitals have faced difficulties.
Currently, pharmacies in Rakhine State sell limited quantities of medicines to prevent medicine prices from rising.
