The Kurdistan Regional government started early February a campaign to close down 4,000 unlicensed pharmacies in Erbil, Sulaimaniya and Duhok. In the first day of the campaign, 2 February, five pharmacies were shut down in Erbil.

According to the standards of the Ministry of Health in Kurdistan, only pharmacists have the authority to own and manage a pharmacy.  At this moment, Kurdistan has 4000 pharmacies, while the Ministry has issued licenses to 290 pharmacies. That means 92% of the existing pharmacies in Kurdistan are illegal.

A member  of the Syndicate of Pharmacists in kurdistan pointed out  that owners of the closed illegal pharmacies, practiced wrapping and injection beside selling medicine illegally without having the required licenses. One of the illegal pharmacy owners, who was only authorized to give injections and apply wrapping, had opened a laboratory.

In another related case, The Ministry of Health in Kurdistan region has announced the Seizure of 695 insulin pumps, to investigate it’s quality.

The spokesman of the Ministry has announced during a press conference, that two doctors have been suspended from their jobs because of this issue.

However, the Syndicate of Pharmacists in Kurdistan is against the accusation, and advised the Ministry of Health to Revise its decision to suspend the job of the two doctors.

This was revealed after the insulin pumps, which was meant for children, was used by doctors in Layla Qasim Medical centre in Erbil without having any curing effect. The Ministry announced that only limited number of the insulin pumps was used.

“A committee from the legal department of the Ministry of health has been formed to investigate the case” said the spokesman of the Ministry of health “If the doctors are proven innocent they will keep their jobs, otherwise they will face court”.