By Christian Alcalá P./ URPI-LR
In recent days, citizens have been reporting shortages and price increases of generic drugs, which has been revealed by the Indecopi Special Monitoring Center (CEMI), which asked suppliers to respect consumer protection and defense standards and to comply with their obligations.
Given this fact, the Inkafarma and Mifarma drugstore and pharmacy chains stated that drug prices COVID-19, such as azithromycin and paracetamol, have been kept frozen since March 2020.
According to pharmacy chains, azithromycin 500 mg (tablet) can be found from S/ 1.30, while paracetamol 500 mg (tablet) is sold from S/ 0.10.
However, they pointed out that because some collaborators have been infected, this has had an impact on the drug supply chain, for which they are regularizing the supply in their premises.
out of stock
Given this, La República toured several pharmacies and apothecaries in Lima and the provinces to observe the stock of paracetamol and azithromycin, which are used to treat patients with COVID-19.
In Santa Anita shortages of these two drugs were identified, both generic and brand. The same panorama could be observed in Lince, because in the pharmacies located in block 9 of av. Julio César Tello we could not find generic paracetamol, they only had the brand ones, which had a cost of S/ 5.00 per shot.
In San Miguel, between the Francisco Bolognesi jirón and Ayacucho prolongation, the drug paracetamol could not be found either, which has been the most demanded in recent days.
in Zarate, San Juan de Lurigancho, the generic of both drugs was out of stock.
“Everything that is paracetamol, azithromycin and chlorpheniramine is out of stock at all locations. Maybe new merchandise will arrive later, “said the Mifarma saleswoman.
On the other hand, the pharmacies in Huayrona were supplied and customers had no problems getting the drugs, such as Santiago Salazar, who points out that the price has not changed.
A similar scenario was observed in the province. David Ruiz says that for three days he has been looking for paracetamol in different drugstores and pharmacies in the center of Chiclayo and the locals tell you that they do not have in stock. However, after several attempts, yesterday he was able to obtain the medication but at a price of S/ 3.00 per tablet.
In ArequipaMeanwhile, there are stores that have enough stock, while others wait for their suppliers. The price of panadol (generic) in this area was between S/ 1.00 and S/ 2.80 per blister and azithromycin between S/ 1.30 and S/ 3.00 each tablet.
speculative measures
Regarding some complaints about price increases, the Minister of Health, Hernando Cevallos, pointed out that price caps could be applied to medicines and other products or services related to COVID-19 care, which would help avoid price speculation, given the high demand for these products due to the third wave of infections.
Didn’t learn what happened
Crisologist Cáceres, president of Aspec
It has a taste of déjà vu. We already lived through it last year, we should have learned something from what happened. It will be almost two years companies showed their ugliest side with abusive price increases, which deprived thousands of people of access to health. I welcome that the Minister of Health is thinking of adopting measures in relation to this issue, including price controls.
It is obvious that there is a general malaise in the population, there are many people who are going out to buy, I even went out to buy basic medicines such as paracetamol, and there were none.
reactions
Hernando Cevallos, Minister of Health
“We respect the freedom of enterprise, but what we are not going to allow is what happened in the first wave, that a fortunately minority sector greatly affected the population.”
Ana Peña Cardoza, Indecopi
“There is a rule that says that all drugstores and pharmacies must have the generic medicine declared as essential in stock. There are 48 goods declared as essential for the treatment of COVID-19″.
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Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
