16:15, 09 января 2024, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Anastasia BENGARD
Concerned Kyrgyzstanis are ready to provide their premises for state pharmacies. Zamirbek Akaev, head of El Aman branch of Kyrgyzfarmatsiya state enterprise, told 24.kg news agency.
According to him, there are many applications, requests, and sometimes demands from the population to open state pharmacies everywhere.
«Our goal is to cover all regions of the republic, almost all primary and secondary health care organizations. But there is a limiting factor — economic feasibility. We cannot open pharmacies in remote, sparsely populated areas. Logistics are expensive, and the assortment must be constantly replenished. Low demand leads to low profits that are insufficient even to pay employees’ salaries,» Zamirbek Akaev said.
We set a minimum profit. With our approach to pricing, enriching of the enterprise is out of question. We add a minimum of 7-8 percent, taking into account sales tax, salaries and other expenses for operating a pharmacy.
Zamirbek Akaev
He noted that El Aman takes medicines for sale.
«There are quite a lot of entrepreneurs in the country who have a patriotic impulse. They meet us halfway and give us medicines at prices below wholesale prices. We currently have 11 local companies as partners. I find phone numbers of suppliers I don’t know, haven’t seen in person, I’m calling them for the first time, I don’t apply any pressure, I don’t have any leverage. These are our competitors, but they are meeting us halfway. This is very pleasing, because, in fact, whoever is not with us, then his interests do not coincide with the interests of the people,» the head of El Aman branch told.
According to the regulations, it is possible to enter into contracts directly with drug manufacturers, he told. The first such cargo is expected from Russia in the near future. The process of approval is underway with a number of other companies, including Pakistani and Turkish ones.
Zamirbek Akaev stressed that healthcare organizations are not forced to open state pharmacies. «Vice versa. There is a certain impulse; many healthcare organizations are indignant why were are not opening them in their premises. We almost have a queue right now. We are studying the feasibility issue. The citizens themselves are also active. Some are ready to provide their premises, land plots for pharmacies,» he said.
At least 55 state pharmacies have been opened throughout the republic to date.