Medicines of unclear origin were seized in Hà Nội. — Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has called for stricter inspections of COVID medicines to root-out counterfeit and low quality drugs. 

The ministry has requested localities to direct agencies and market managers to strengthen inspections on the sale of medicines. 

A document signed by Deputy Health Minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên on Tuesday was sent to People's Committee of provinces and cities as the COVID-19 pandemic was developing complicatedly across the country with rapid increases in the number of daily infections.

Localities must strengthen inspections on price and any activities of taking advantage of the shortage of drugs on the market to speculate, store and increase selling price.

Violators will be strictly punished.

The administration asked medicine importers, traders and drug stores to fully instruct people on the use of drugs according to instructions. They were also asked to fully comply with regulations on medicine trade and distribution as well as other regulations in pharmaceutical business.

On February 17, the Drug Administration of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Health officially licensed three Vietnamese-produced Molnupiravir COVID-19 treatment drugs.

Authorities in many localities have continuously detected and seized rapid test kits and drugs of unknown origin to treat COVID-19 patients.

On Monday, Hà Nội's market management team in co-ordination with police detected 3,030 boxes of drugs to support COVID-19 treatment and other products serving COVID-19 prevention and control in an establishment in Đống Đa District.

They seized the goods for verification in accordance with the law as the owner of business establishment has not been able to show invoices and documents related to the products.

On the same day, market management team in Thái Nguyên Province stopped a man carrying 400 Chinese produced COVID-19 rapid test kits.

The owner of the goods said he bought these products on social network pages and failed to present valid invoices and documents.

He was fined for administrative violation in trading of smuggled goods and his goods will also be destroyed according to regulations.

The team also seized 103 boxes of medicine without user manuals in Vietnamese or a valid invoice at a shop in Thái Nguyên City. — VNS