The eastern regional referral hospital is located in Monggar town. However, despite having a hospital, Monggar town does not have enough pharmacies to cater to the growing demand of customers. People are calling for additional pharmacies or medical shops to avail themselves of better services and break the current monopoly of the only medical shop in the market.
The Monggar town is a business centre of the eastern region and the presence of the regional referral hospital means the town sees a high number of people compared to other districts.
With the number of visitors to the town increasing, there is an urgent need for additional pharmacies in the town.
The only medical shop in the town has been doing business for almost six years now.
“When it is only one shop, they can charge higher or lower and they have the right to do so. People buy when in need even when the price is high. If there are two to three shops, it will be beneficial. People come to medical shops when they are in need. We have only one and if that closes, it does not help people,” said Tandin Wangchuk.
“Since there is only one shop, when we visit it during lunchtime, it remains closed. And we have to wait at times. Even when we call them, they say it’s lunchtime. So, we need two to three medical shops,” said another Monggar Town resident, Monica Ghalley.
Meanwhile, the lone medical shop owner says customer number has decreased compared to a few years ago. The owner said on average, about 20 people visit his medical shop daily.
Regarding higher prices, the owner said medicines and other goods are sold at maximum retail price.
He also added that the shop remains mostly open except during emergencies when the public is notified about the closure.
The regional director at the Regional Office of Industry, Commerce and Employment said the office received verbal complaints about the pharmacy shop forcefully selling additional medicines, which are not prescribed by doctors
The regional director added that the office has not received any new applications to open pharmacy shops in Monggar town so far.
Including the peripheral areas, Monggar town area has around 700 households.
Sonam Darjay
Edited by Sherub Dorji
