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ON THE WEB
| ISSN 0856-9135; No. 00225 |
June 22 - 28, 2002 |
ON THE WEB
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by Raja Jivraj Licensed to Kill Until recent months, almost every enterprise at Sanawari, Kijenge, Ngarenaro, Unga Limited and Makao Mapya was either a bar or a grocery store. Even licensing authorities do not know the difference between the two! Of late, pharmacies (Duka la Dawa) have mushroomed in all locations and they are dangerously out-pacing bars and groceries. In fact, there’s one adjacent to every bar. Like bars they are always crowded and each has a beautiful girl dispensing drugs. With or without any prescription. (Most of the girls are illiterate, anyway!). Since the introduction of “user fees” in government hospitals the best option for many patients is to go directly to a drug shop where consultation is free. Last week I had fever but did not want to wait to see a doctor so I went to one of the shops along Nairobi Road. The lady at the drug store did not waste time to tell me that I was suffering from Malaria. I accepted he diagnosis and she quickly prescribed Metakelfin tablets for me. Four at a go, and the price was Tsh.2,500. I bought the drug but, doubting the dose, I went to a dispensary just across the street. Luckily, the dispensary had a functioning Lab. My blood test showed I had no Malaria. Had the test shown Malaria, the dose would have been only three tablets of Metakelfin and the price Tsh.500. What is the Pharmacy Board there for? *** Meaningful Budget? The 2002/2003 Budget is out and some people say they are impressed by it. Even the opposition camp, for the first time, welcomed the government budget. Some said it is encouraging and progressive. But a youth interviewed by BBC this week seemed to be representing the majority of Tanzanians. He is unemployed, lives in a shack, has no money for food and other necessities of life and there’s no possibility of him earning any. What he said in summary was that he was not a participant in the ‘money economy’ and the budget meant nothing to him. How is the reduction of jet fuel tax going to help him? *** |
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Last modified:
June 21, 2002. Webmaster: WDJMallya |