GHAZNI CITY - Most pharmacists in southern Ghazni province are without professional qualifications, giving patients wrong or expired medicine, residents complain.
Mohammad Rahim, an inhabitant of Ghazni City, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News some few days ago he fell ill and visited a doctor for medical treatment.
“I took the doctor’s prescription to a pharmacy in the city and purchased more medicine from there. However, I felt no improvement despite taking the medicines for a few days,” he added.
“When I showed the prescription to another doctor, he told me the medicine I purchased was different from what had been prescribed,” the man said, alleging most of pharmacists were not professional.
Ezatullah, another resident of the province, lost his father to wrong medicine he had been given by a pharmacist. “My father was suffering from blood pressure.
“I bought him medicine from a drug store, but the pharmacist gave me heart disease drugs instead of what had been written on the prescription,” he claimed, saying his father experienced swelling soon after taking the medicine.
Ezatullah charged most of the people running pharmacies could not read prescriptions and gave patients medicine of their choice.
Mohammad Kazim Rassouli, a civil society activist, said besides Ghazni City, the problem was common in districts as well. “Those running district drug stores are completely illiterate and give visitors improper medicine.”
He asked relevant officials to pay serious attention to the problem that threatened people’s lives.
Khalilullah, hailing from Giro district, said the problem existed in his area too. “There are no drugs stores in the district. Medicines are sold like other goods in shops. The shopkeeper would give patients medicines without knowing about their condition,” he alleged.
Mohammad Asif, a pharmacist in Ghazni City, confirmed many pharmacists were without licences. “Some people are professional but they don’t have money to open drug stores.
“Others without having experience in pharmacy own wealth and have opened drug stores,” he admitted, asking the public health department to oversee pharmacies in the province.
Public Health Director Dr. Zahir Shah Nekmal confirmed some of drug stores in Ghazni City and districts were run by unprofessional individuals. He said serious efforts were underway to address the issue.
A commission has been appointed to deal with the situation. Six drug stores run by unprofessional men were recently closed in Maqur district, he said.
Just like Ghazni province, most of drug stores in the capital Kabul are also substandard and operated by unprofessional people. (Pajhwok)