A drugstore in HCM City’s District 2. More than 4,270 drugstores are selling drugs included in the city's price-stabilisation programme for the 2019-20 period. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Vy

HCM CITY — As many as 4,279 drugstores are selling drugs that are included in HCM City's price-stabilisation programme for the 2019-20 period, according to the city's Department of Health.

The figure accounts for nearly 75 per cent of the total number of retail drugstores in the city.

Eleven pharmaceutical companies take part in the programme.

Of the medicine offered, 20 kinds of drugs are produced in the country’s factories meeting World Health Organisation’s good manufacturing practices, including 176 active elements and 332 drugs used for chronic diseases.

The prices are at least 5 per cent to 10 per cent lower than others of the same type in the market. From April last year to early March, turnover from these drugs had reached nearly VNĐ61 billion (US$2.6 million).

According to the department, the drugs included in the programme meet essential health need and are often prescribed and provided by health facilities and pharmaceutical companies taking part in the programme.

The department will continue encouraging pharmaceutical enterprises to increase investment in their facilities to improve the quality of medicine included in the programme.

It has also encouraged enterprises to distribute the drugs more widely and has urged doctors to prescribe medicine included in the programme.

The programme started in 2011 with only four pharmaceutical companies. — VNS