KATHMANDU, March 2: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has claimed that most pharmacies within the metropolis have not adhered to the basic standards. The KMC found this during an inspection conducted sporadically in wards 1, 2, and 3, as well as in other wards.

Mission Pharmacy operating in Ward No 14, Kalanki, was found storing vaccines in a non-functional refrigerator. During the inspection, it was discovered that 3 packets of anti-rabies vaccine, 9 Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine, and 3 insulins were stored in a malfunctioning refrigerator. The Health Department of the KMC has said that the temperature of the refrigerator at Rabichandra Pharmacy was not being maintained.

"Failure to maintain the required temperature for storing medicines, fridges, and vaccines in pharmacies is a serious negligence. From the perspective of public health, it is an extreme error," said Deputy Mayor and Coordinator of the Monitoring Committee, Sunita Dangol. "There will be no second chance for improvement in such places," she added.

Pharmacy Inspection Coordinator and Hospital Nursing Inspector Kalpana Shrestha, stated that pharmacies registered under one person's name are being operated by someone else. The team also found pharmacies being operated without registration. According to Shrestha, they found that the bills issued by some pharmacies mentioned the expiration date of medicines but the batch numbers were not mentioned.

The team found that surgical and allopathic medicines were being sold at Reliance Ayurvedic Pharmacy, along with Ayurvedic medicines, by an individual lacking Ayurveda education. Additionally, it was reported that the person working at the Royal Destination Health Care Pvt Ltd Pharmacy in Ghattekulo did not possess the necessary qualification.

Furthermore, Rijal Drug House in Anamnagar was found to have cosmetic products stored alongside medicines, and its refrigerator was found uncleaned.

DDA prohibits sale and distribution of three medications

The Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has issued a directive regarding the use of three specific medications, and has further imposed a ban on their sale and distribution.

Narayan Prasad Dhakal, the Director General of DDA, stated that the decision to prohibit the use and distribution of these drugs was made following quality testing conducted at the National Drug Laboratory, which revealed substandard quality.

The banned medications include Metronidazole 200mg Metro Suspension and Helmapren Albendazole 400mg tablets manufactured by Lomus Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, as well as Metro P 200mg Metronidazole 200mg produced by Pharmaco Industries Ltd. Dhakal emphasized that despite the medications still being available in the market, he has instructed the respective companies to immediately withdraw them.

 
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