October 31, 2001	Wednesday	Shaba'an 13, 1422

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GUJRAT, Oct 30: Some local medical store owners, druggists and wholesale dealers have arbitrarily enhanced prices of medicines and life saving drugs by 25 to 35 per cent on the plea of getting short supplies.

The sellers have allegedly marked significant changes on the stocks with the connivance of the health department.

Visiting a number of stores, this correspondent learnt poor patients were compelled to buy medicines at exorbitant rates.

Medicines for surgery, heart ailment, asthma and other diseases were found selling on varied rates in different stores.

Some druggists are selling Tracrium injection for Rs138 instead of fixed rate Rs107.50 while Pentothal sodium injection for Rs45 instead of Rs34. Both the injections are for maternity.

A 25-tablet bottle of Lanoxin is being sold at Rs25 against fixed price of Rs7.16 while a bottle of Angised TM (0.5 mg), containing 30 tablets, for Rs30 against original rate of Rs8.64. The medicines are for heart ailment.

Methycolbol injection is being sold at Rs90 and not Rs79, Quench cream (5g) for burn injuries at Rs40 instead of Rs30 and Gyno-Travogen (vaginal cream) at Rs220 instead of Rs192.50.

Neurobeon injection is being marketed at Rs13, Amoxil syrup (antibiotic) at Rs45 and Theograc tablets for asthmatic at Rs208 against the original rates of Rs9.60, Rs38 and Rs191 respectively.

Voltral tablet (50mg) pack of 20 tablets is available in the market at Rs125 instead of Rs100, Caflam tablet (50mg) 20 tablets pack at Rs160 instead of Rs135 and 10 tablets of Ciplox (250mg) at Rs98 instead of Rs80.

The rate of 10-tablet pack of Fansidar (Malarial) used to be Rs37.66 but it is now being sold at Rs40.

Adding to people’s woe, sale of sedatives to youths has recently picked up and that too at high prices.

The medical stores are charging Rs70 instead of Rs35.42 for Lexotanil (3mg) per 10 tablets and Rs30 instead of Rs12 for Valium (Diazepam 10mg).

Sources told Dawn owners of drug stores had maintained a fabricated record of consumers of these sedatives.

A store owner who did not want to be named claimed the druggists were paying Rs2,000 monthly as bribe to some health employees.