Six Pharmacies in Herat Shut Down for Selling Expired Medicines

The Department of Information and Culture in Herat has announced that as a result of inspections of 16 pharmacies in the city, six pharmacies have been closed for selling expired medicines. Additionally, 13 types of expired and illegal drugs have been confiscated from these pharmacies. Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, spokesperson for the Herat governor, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page that this action was carried out within the framework of health inspections, and violators have been dealt with. Previously, in several provinces across the country, dozens of pharmacies, clinics, and health centers were shut down for violating health regulations. Reports have also been published about the collection and destruction of dozens of expired medicines from various areas. However, the sale of low-quality and expired medicines remains a serious challenge in the public health sector; a concern that residents have repeatedly expressed. Some citizens have called on the Taliban administration to move beyond temporary oversight and establish a transparent and sustainable mechanism for controlling the drug market in order to prevent further health risks to the public. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health has stated that inspections of pharmacies and medical equipment stores will continue rigorously and legal action will be taken against those operating contrary to health regulations.