Rangareddy: DCA crackdown on sale of opioids

Rangareddy: Close on the heels of SOT raids on various locations to check sale and use of narcotic substances and other contraband recently, a team of Drug Control Administration (DCA) carried out a joint inspection of several pharmacies in Ranga Reddy district on Monday to ascertain widespread sale of habit-forming medicines.

A team of drug inspectors from Balapur, Hayathnagar and Saroornagar mandals, led by Assistant Director Drug Control Department Ranga Reddy, went on to overhaul the sale of habit-forming medicines dispensed from pharmacies.

According to officials, surprise inspections were carried out on the instructions of Director-General, Drug Control Administration, Kamalasan Reddy. Five medical shops were inspected post noon at the Errakunta area.

“The inspections are part of the routine check-ups and will continue further to ensure safety and transparency in sale of habit-forming medicines from chemists,” said officials adding “although we haven’t found any discrepancies in today’s overhaul, the routine inspections will continue to ensure safe and regulated sale of medicines.” According to officials, there are 3,350 pharmacies in AD DCA Ranga Reddy jurisdiction; Saroornagar has 1,500, Balapur 800, Hayathnagar 600 and Maheshwaram 450 medical shops. Earlier, the team inspected the same location in this January and found a number of violations of norms like no pharmacists to address consumers, sale of medicines without prescription, besides carrying out trade without sale bills.

However, this time officials said no such discrepancies were found. But this will not deter them from moving ahead with surprise crack down.

A team consisting of drug inspect Balapur V Ravi Kumar, DI Saroornagar J Nagaraju and DI Hayathnagar L Raju took part in inspection led by Assistant Director, Drug Control Department, Anjum Abida.