The Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Trading Center (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) is considered the largest "mercado of drugs" in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Lao Dong Newspaper reporters on June 6, many pharmaceutical and medical equipment stores in this area are still closed. Some stores are still open but the pharmacy displays very few products compared to before.
Posing as a person in need of buying medicine, a store owner refused to sell it because they were out of stock. Surveying a number of other stores, the reporter also received a similar answer.
According to a store owner in this wholesale market area, the reason why many stores are temporarily closed or the drug stalls are empty may be because they are updating their product portfolio. This is to ensure that when the competent authority inspects the goods, they have sufficient documents proving the quality and origin of the products.
Ms. T, who has many years of experience selling here, shared that in recent days, her store has also welcomed inspection teams. According to her, retail 1-2 boxes for example, it is very difficult to issue invoices. For large orders, the store issues invoices. In the near future, to be transparent and manage quality, pharmaceutical establishments like Ms. T must issue and submit invoices every time there is an inspection team.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health issued an urgent document on the implementation of reviewing and reporting on drugs, functional foods and medical equipment. Accordingly, medical examination and treatment facilities are required to quickly review and check the list of drugs, functional foods and medical equipment in use and business in their facilities, to ensure that there are no products of unknown origin or not yet allowed for circulation.
Pharmaceutical businesses must review and inspect the list of goods they are doing business in to ensure that they only sell products that are allowed for circulation and within the licensed scope.
