Medicosnext
In a bid to ensure the quality and legality of pharmaceutical services, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has issued a decisive directive to pharmacies operating within its jurisdiction. Currently, there are approximately 2,600 pharmacies functioning within the metropolis.
The KMC’s Health Department released a statement highlighting the mandate for pharmacies to comply with set standards within a 10-day timeframe. The directive specifically targets pharmacies found selling drugs without proper registration from the Department of Drug Administration and without valid doctor prescriptions.
Ram Prasad Poudel, Chief of the Health Department, stressed that non-compliant pharmacies failing to meet the specified criteria would face closure and legal consequences. During monitoring exercises, numerous pharmacies were discovered to be operating without essential permissions and not upholding Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) guidelines.
Consumers have been urged to report any grievances or irregularities during the purchase of medicines to the Health Department through the toll-free hotline number 16600105511. The KMC emphasizes that strict monitoring will continue, operating under the provisions of the Public Health Act-2080 BS’s Clause 26(D).
It’s imperative for pharmacies to obtain DDA approval, ensuring adherence to legal provisions that mandate only qualified professionals in pharmacy studies can operate drug stores. What is to be noted is that though DDA mandates new pharmacies to be registered and operated by professionals with either a diploma or bachelor degree in pharmacy, the older ones are still run by people with an orientation training. There should be some sort of provision of separating categories of pharmacy quite like the pathology laboratories. More work needs to be done in this regard, to ensure that the people of the metropolis are to get quality medicines and professional services along with medicines. This stringent approach aims to enhance pharmaceutical services and maintain the highest standards of public health within the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
