President commissioned to dismiss SK Pharmacy leadership

ASTANA. KAZINFORM President Nursultan Nazarbayev named the activity of LLP SK Pharmacy - Kazakhstan's sole distributor on purchase of medications and medical products - as corrupt.    

“As for pharmacological support. I would like to note again that Kazakhstan and our neighbor countries produce basic medications which have been used in treatment at all times. Instead, we buy these medications abroad at the prices which are 4 and 5 times higher,” the President said at the Government’s enlarged meeting on Friday.

According to Minister of Healthcare Elzhan Birtanov, under the Free Guaranteed Medical Care programme the medications are purchased at a fixed price, while retail purchasing is not regulated. The Minister assured the President that the problem will be solved properly.

However, the Head of State stressed that SK Pharmacy is the solo purchaser of medications in Kazakhstan and its activity triggers a lot of questions.

 

“SK Pharmacy is the only distributor of medications. The company receives huge budgetary funds and it distributes them for purchase of drugs. They do not allow to build pharmaceutical plants in Kazakhstan. They hinder the activity of foreign businessmen who come to our country to build pharmaceutical factories, to manufacture medicines,” said Nazarbayev and commissioned the Minister to dismiss the leadership of the company.