Jajarkot, Aug 11 Most of the pharmacies in rural areas of Jajarkot have been running without permission for selling medicine. As per the provision, a pharmacy course and the permission from the Department of Drugs Administration are required to operate a pharmacy or a medical shop.
But the reality is that many medical shops here are being operated without meeting the requirement. People are operating pharmacies after receiving general health training. Some of them have not even put a signboard. According to Dr Bhupendra Prakash Malla of District Hospital, Jajarkot, those pharmacies are found prescribing patients high-powered medicines since very beginning of the check up.
Normally, the treatment is supposed to be started with the administration of generic medicines. The use of high-powered drug seems good in the beginning as it cures fast, but on the long run, it will causes side effects on human health.
A medical prescription is required to dispense high-powered antibiotics as they are prescription drugs, but medical shops owners in Jajarkot see the patients themselves and prescribe medicines haphazardly. Most of the proprietors have completed the Auxiliary Health Worker course. It means they are not medically and legally allowed to examine patients, but this is happening here.
Only the individual having the pharmacy course can operate a medical shop but not authorised to provide checkup facilities for patients, according to Malla. The experience of one Bhim Bahadur Khatri of Bheri municipality-2 is that private medical shops on the one hand overcharge patients and on the other hand they play with public health.
“The government health facilities are not in the position for dispensing general medicines said to be free of cost for the public, forcing patients to move towards private clinics and medical shops,” he complains.
The Jajarkot folks largely lag behind in terms of access to healthcare services. The district consisting of three municipalities and four rural municipalities has one district hospital, three primary centers and 31 health centers. It lies in a geographically remote area and people have to walk up more than six hours to reach the nearby health facility.
One some parts remaining along the Chhinchu-Jajarkot road section has access to motorable roads. People of 80 percent territory have to travel on foot.
Besides, health facilities established from the government level are poorly managed as they have neither health workers nor a stock of medicines said to be free for the public, complained one Prasad Bohora of Rawatjiti of Barekot rural municipality-4. And, at such situation, people have a rare alternative to the private medical shops.
