Al Houthi militia has a monopoly on selling medicine to organizations
English - Tuesday 30 March 2021 الساعة 06:51 pm
Aden, NewsYemen, Exclusive:
The Houthi militia forced foreign organizations operating in Yemen that are active in providing pharmaceutical aid, to purchase medicine from specific drug companies and agencies they recently established to replace local drug companies.
A source in Save the Children told "NewsYemen", that the Houthi militia imposed on Save the Children and other foreign organizations to purchase medicine from ten drug companies that the militia had recently established.
The source, who requested anonymity, added that the Houthi militia has diverted dozens of drug companies that do not follow it from selling medicine to organizations, by stopping the renewal of their licenses.
He explained that when organizations request the supply of drugs, they require that drug companies and agencies have a valid permit from the official authorities, again or issued in the same year in which the supply request is raised.
The Houthi militia depends on the drug market as one of the most important financial resources after the fuel market and the telecommunications sector, to enrich its elements and finance the war against the Yemenis.
The bill for importing medicines in Yemen is about 88 billion riyals annually, according to the statistics of the Supreme Medicines Authority.
Hundreds of types of fraudulent and inferior drugs, brought by the Houthi militia to the local market, taking advantage of its seizure of the functions of the Supreme Medical Council, and its control over the Supreme Medicines Authority, which regulates the market and drug items.
A census of the Pharmacists Owners Syndicate indicates that only 5 thousand official pharmacies, out of a total of 18 thousand pharmacies operating in Yemen, reach 20 thousand items registered in Yemen.
The prices of most medicines increased by 200 percent compared to their previous prices, driven by royalties and levies imposed by the Houthi militia, which added a new burden on patients, especially those with chronic diseases.
