Pharmacies undergoing scrutiny in some Arakan State townships 

By DMG 16 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
16 August 2021, Sittwe 

Government personnel are reportedly inspecting pharmacies in some Arakan State townships. 

An official from the Department of Consumer Affairs in Taungup Township told DMG that the relevant departments have been inspecting pharmacies since August 14 to prevent price gouging amid reports of medicine shortages. 

“We started inspecting pharmacies in Taungup yesterday. There is no shortage of medicines, but we are working to make sure that the pharmacy owners do not sell medicines at a high price. If the pharmacies sell at a higher price, we will take action against the pharmacy owners in collaboration with the relevant departments,” the official added. 

A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that although pharmacies were being inspected, there was a shortage of medicines in Thandwe Township and some pharmacies were selling drugs at inflated prices. 

“Over the past month, we have inspected pharmacies here, but there is a shortage of medicines. There is a shortage of paracetamol and CVit at pharmacies here. Medicines are being sold at twice the previous price,” the unnamed resident added. 

The United League of Arakan (ULA) on August 7 urged merchants not to increase the prices of basic food items in Arakan State. 

A pharmacy owner in Manaung Township, who did not want to be named, said pharmacies in Arakan State are selling medicines at slightly higher prices due to higher prices on medicines from mainland Myanmar. 

“When medicines are sold on the mainland at a high price, we also have to sell them at a higher price. And we have a hard time ordering medicine,” he explained. 

Many commonly ingested drugs and supplements, such as vitamin C and D, paracetamol, Biogesis and Enervon C are out of stock locally due to shortages at their mainland Myanmar suppliers, Ko Tun Min Oo, an administrative manager of Ekarit Ar Mahn Pharmaceutical Co., told DMG recently. 

U Tin Aung Oo, chairman of the Arakan State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he had written to the government asking it to ease inspections on cargo trucks to reduce shortages of medicines and goods in Arakan State during the Covid-19 pandemic.