Omani pharmacies asked not to increase prices in wake of COVID-19

Muscat: Pharmacies have been asked not to raise prices of essential medical items required to keep COVID-19 infections at bay so that everyone can access them.

The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (OCCI) advice comes following the closure of pharmacies that had increased their prices to profit from the need of locals and expats to stock up on healthcare products such as masks and hand sanitisers.

“We urge companies operating in the health sector to adhere to the set prices and not to take advantage of the situation and raise the prices of products that would protect a large number of consumers,” explained Redha bin Juma Al Saleh, a member of the Board of Directors of the OCCI, and the head of its health sector committee. “The current situation needs all parties and individuals to unite to address the spread of the virus.”

In a message that was shared by the Sultanate’s Public Prosecution department, Al Saleh also asked people to ignore rumours from those who wished to gain by sowing panic about the spread of COVID-19. So far, six cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in Oman, and one of the patients who carried the symptoms of the disease has been cured. The other five patients are being treated and are in stable condition.

A statement from Oman’s Public Prosecution added, “Dear citizen/resident, sending or retransmitting false news or rumours that might harm public order through various means of technology is a crime that carries a sentence of three years imprisonment.”
The OCCI also requested all private companies and institutions working in the health sector to spread awareness and combat the spread of false information in society by intensifying awareness campaigns and providing the requirements needed to eliminate this virus.

This, explained Al Saleh, was part of the social responsibility of organisations in the Sultanate, which was particularly needed during exceptional circumstances such as this, the spread of COVID-19 in many countries across the world. According to data from the World Health Organization, there have been a reported 85,402 cases in 54 countries around the world, resulting in 2,924 deaths. The vast majority of these are still in China, which has 79,394 cases.

Two pharmacies in Oman were recently shut down by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) for intentionally inflating prices. A pharmacy in Muscat was closed on February 26, for illegally hiking prices of face masks by exploiting the current conditions. “The authority has closed one of the pharmacies in the Governorate of Muscat due to illegal inflation of the prices of masks,” said a PACP statement. “The Public Authority for Consumer Protection has launched a campaign against all pharmacies to check prices and to take the necessary measures.”

Another was closed on February 27, with the PACP stating that “Consumer Protection closed a second pharmacy in Al Seeb for raising the price of a box of masks to OMR 60, to try and take advantage of people’s needs.”