Old fair price pharmacies get new ‘affordable pharmacy’ signboards
Summary
State-run hospitals like Thapathali and Bir Hospital have installed new 'affordable pharmacy' signboards to highlight discounted medicine prices, although actual prices and medicines remain unchanged.
Key Points
- Many state-run hospitals in Nepal have installed new 'affordable pharmacy' signboards without changing medicine prices.
- Pharmacies in these hospitals have been selling medicines below maximum retail prices (MRP) for years, offering average discounts around 40%.
- The signboards aim to inform patients about discounted medicine prices as many are unaware of this fact.
- Hospital pharmacists have been warned not to speak to the media about these issues.
- The Supreme Court ordered subsidised pharmacies at public hospitals in 2015, leading to the establishment of these pharmacies.
