The All-Island Private Pharmacy Owners’ Association (ACPPOA) has raised concerns over the risk of pharmacies all over the island being forced to close down due to the fuel crisis that has crippled the nation.
“Pharmacies should be provided with fuel to prevent 6,000 pharmacies in the island from closing down soon. We receive more than 350 calls per day through our hotline, asking for drugs, and most of these patients are hospitalized. Without fuel, we cannot run our service and we feel bad since the public would obviously be affected by this,” ACPPOA President Chandika Gankanda stated yesterday (3).
He said that despite fuel shortages affecting the sector directly, they are yet to receive any support from the Government.
“Insulin and suppositories should be stored in a refrigerator, and we need generators to keep them functioning, while drugs should be distributed to pharmacies islandwide. For both, we need fuel. We urge the Government to make our service essential just as during Covid-19. so that we would be able to provide medicine to the general public.”
According to Gankanda, the drug shortage is heavily affecting the health sector, especially hospitals and people who need to regularly purchase drugs from pharmacies.
