According to Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM), its monitoring team found Sankir Pharmacy and Sajilo Aushadhi Pasal in front of Bir Hospital charging up to 50 percent higher than their purchase price for medicines like BD Venflo Pro IV Canulla and medical tools like JMS Infusion Set. The government allows trader to keep only a maximum of 20 percent of purchase price as profit.Krishna Bastola is the promoter of Sankir Pharmacy, while Sajilo Aushadhi Pasal is operated by Suman Adhikari.
"When we compared purchase invoice and sales invoice of these two pharmacies, we found that they were keeping profit margin of more than 50 percent which is illegal," Deepak Raj Pokhrel, section officer of DoCSM, told Republica. "We were surprised to find drug stores involved in anomalies at a time when demand for medicines is high in the aftermath of the earthquake."
Pokhrel told Republica that they have recommended police to try these unscrupulous traders under the Black Market and Some Other Social Offences and Punishment Act, 2032 BS.
The department had inspected around a dozen pharmacies in Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday. During inspection, most of them had failed to produce purchase invoice. The department had directed promoters of all those pharmacies to show up at the department with purchase and sales invoice.
Talking to Republica, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Uttam Karki, who is also the chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, said they would take immediate action against the unscrupulous pharmacists if found guilty. "We will launch further investigation if there is not sufficient evidence," he added.
Meanwhile, the monitoring division of DoCSM has appealed to traders not to involve in anomalies at a time when the entire country is at grief due to massive loss of life and property after the earthquake of April 25.
"We will intensify inspections in the market and take stern action against unscrupulous traders," Hari Narayan Belbase, director of the department, said.
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