Kathmandu, December 20:

The government has fixed maximum retail price of 22 drugs but this has not prevented retailers from selling these drugs at exorbitant rates.

The government-fixed MRP of each Albendazole 400mg tablet is Rs 8, but this tablet is being sold for Rs 15. Though the retail price of this tablet Rs 15, the bulk price (the government buys it in bulk) per tablet is just Re 0.97.

“We don’t know a thing about government directives. We were not given concession in

the purchase of drugs,” a pharmacist in Anamnagar said, claiming that she had no knowledge about MRP of drugs.

According to the government directives, each 500 mg Amoxycillin capsule should be sold for Rs 7.50, but this capsule is being sold for Rs 9. Though the MRP of Povidone Iodine Gargle (100ml) was fixed at Rs 62, each bottle containing 60 ml of this gargle is being sold at Rs 68.

No less is the market price of Ciprofloxcin 500 mg tablet. According to the government directives, this tablet was to be sold for Rs 8, but its retail price varies from Rs 10 to Rs 15. In a bid to check exorbitant deal bonus and ensure people’s access to medicines, the government had fixed the prices of 22 drugs in October. It had also issued directives on bonus rates. The government had fixed a maximum of 20 per cent bonus for group C drugs, 10 per cent for group B drugs, while no bonus was to be given on the sale of group A drugs.

“We can comment on market prices of drugs once we get the market surveillance report,” said Santosh Khadka, drug inspector at the Department of Drug Administration (DDA).