Drug administration requests no shortage of medicines during Tet

The Health Ministry’s Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV) has requested relevant units to ensure no medicine shortage and price hikes to meet demand for COVID-19 prevention and control during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) festival 2022.

Medicines are offered to residents of Lang Son (Photo: VNA)
Medicines are offered to residents of Lang Son (Photo: VNA)

In a document sent to municipal and provincial health departments, hospitals, drug manufacturers and importers, the Vietnamese Pharmaceutical Association and the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Corporation, the DAV asked them to direct hospitals and disease control centres to build their own plans to store medicines and ensure their sufficient supply in line with the Health Ministry’s Directive No.01/CT-BYT, amid the complicated developments of the pandemic, especially Omicron variant.

Municipal and provincial health departments must ask their inspectors to work closely with relevant units to enhance inspection over the production, trade, export-import of medicines and cosmetics in their localities while seriously punishing violations.

The DAV required opening drug stores and deploying staff on duty round the clock during the festival to grasp the situation, and reporting to the administration before January 20 to enhance coordination.