Public hospitals to open pharmacies offering low-cost medications

The government intends to open “government pharmacies” in all public hospitals around the country, facilitating citizens’ access to necessary medications for a third of the usual cost.

“This initiative will provide 250 commonly used medicines, available at a price one-third of the current market rate,” said Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

He said government hospitals offer lab services and various primary healthcare services, but they have not had pharmaceutical services until now. 

“As part of this new initiative, the government will introduce pharmacies in all public hospital premises, offering 250 types of medicines just at one-third of the current prices,” he added. 

Government pharmacies would be established on the grounds of all public hospitals nationwide, according to authorities from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The objective is to guarantee that everyone has inexpensive access to standardized, high-quality medications. The people will be able to obtain necessary medications at much lower costs thanks to this initiative.

Dr. Rahman clarified that by lowering the cost of healthcare, government initiatives will significantly help the general public. He noted that the government’s continued commitment to enhancing public health will be supported by the lower cost of medications, which will increase access to medical care.

The special assistant observed that the high cost of medications currently prevents many people from accessing necessary healthcare, leading to financial hardship. 

“Government pharmacies will address this issue, potentially treating up to 85 percent of patients and revolutionizing the healthcare sector,” he said.

He however, noted that managing drug theft remains a significant challenge and to tackle this, a digital system will be implemented to ensure proper oversee.

Dr. Rahman mentioned that the government’s pharmaceutical company, EDCL, currently purchases medicines worth around TK 1,300 crore annually. He added that moving forward, the government plans to increase its budget for medicine procurement and enhance the government’s production capacity to ensure that necessary medications are available in a timely manner.