Health Secretary Francisco Duque III
MARIKINA CITY, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned pharmacies that are selling high-priced leptospirosis medicine Doxycycline.
Duque stressed that the price of doxycycline drug ranges from P10.00 to P30.00 depending on brand. Any amount higher than that is considered overpriced and pharmacies imposing unauthorized markup will be ordered closed.
“Ang mga botlika huwag pong samantalahin ang panahon kung kailan mataas ang pangangailangan sa mga gamot. Huwag pong itaas ang presyo at may batas po kayong nilalabag. Pwede po kayong makasuhan,” Duque warned.
The Health Secretary assured, however, that the agency has enough supply of doxycycline which patients can avail for free in local health centers.
On Monday (August 13), Duque personally checked on the condition of evacuees in Bagong Silangan in Quezon City and in Malanday Elementary School in Marikina City where most of the monsoon-hit families stay.
The DOH distributed an additional 25,000 tablets of Doxycycline to local government units of Marikina City for prevention from leptospirosis infection.
Aside from doxycycline, the DOH also donated boxes of assorted medicines against rainy day diseases such as diarrhea, fungal infection, and influenza.
To date, the agency has already distributed about P1.35M worth of medicine and medical supplies to calamity-hit areas such as San Juan City, Marikina City, and Rizal, while the fund is ready for release, should LGUs in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Ilocos Region, all affected by the monsoon rains, request for it.
All DOH-accredited hospitals are also on code white alert to immediately address emergency situations amid the inclement weather. – Aiko Miguel / Marje Pelayo
The post DOH warns pharmacists selling high-priced lepto drug Doxycycline appeared first on UNTV News.