TIB airs concern over unapproved medicines seizure from Apollo

Transparency Interna-tional, Bangladesh (TIB) has aired concern over the seizure of unapproved and counterfeit medicines from Apollo Hospitals Dhaka as well as using expired medicines in the private sector hospital.

TIB also expressed its dismay over the 'nominal' amount of financial penalty imposed on the hospital following the incident.

The watchdog body said these at a statement on Tuesday expressing dissatisfaction over the issue and the country's healthcare sector as well.

Besides, TIB termed the incident as a threat to the safety of people and their health, urging the government to ensure transparency and accountability in the sector.

TIB observed imposing the fine as a 'poor punishment' against the wrongdoing, as the authority concerned fined the hospital 'only' Tk 0.5 million.

The organisation also asked the authorities to ensure proper legal actions against those who violated the laws.

The incident of recovering expired and unauthorized medicines from such a highly expensive privately-owned healthcare facility well indicates the real picture of other hospitals in the country, said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

On the other hand, fining Tk 0.5 million to a hospital like Apollo could not play any role in curbing such wrongdoings, which require enforcing stricter law and awarding exemplary punishment, he added.

There is no alternative but to maintain standard in healthcare sector. But, lack of required policy support, inspection and supervision, and unbridled commercialization of the private healthcare services have brought their condition to the level of dismay, the TIB statement mentioned.

On Monday, a mobile court of RAB fined Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka Tk 0.5 million for selling unauthorized and counterfeit medicines as well as for using time-expired reagent in its pathological tests.

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