Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko urges against inflating prices on medicines

MINSK, 1 March (BelTA) - No one will be allowed to profit on people's health in Belarus, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he received Chairman of the Belarusian State Control Committee Vasily Gerasimov, BelTA has learned.

The president recalled the government's decision to curb unreasonable price increases, in particular, with regard to medicines. After the increase of VAT to 10%, pharmacies began to raise prices. "Some of them have increased them by 30%," Vasily Gerasimov said.

“This shows that we need to stop dishonest business practices in the toughest way," the Belarusian leader stressed. "We have to watch both wholesalers and retail. But the most important thing is medicines. We must not allow dishonest businessmen to prey on people's troubles. No one of them contributed a kopeck to the COVID response. No one. It was just the state. The country has spent already a billion dollars from all sources on this. Have pharmacies donated some money? No, they have not."

"Well, 50% of pharmacies in Belarus are state-owned, 50% are private;y-held. If we do not bring business back to their senses, well, then it will be only state-owned pharmacies that will be working here. We cannot afford them to profit on people's health. Therefore, medicines are under special control," the head of state said.

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