DUSHANBE, June 2, Asia-Plus -- Implementation of the recently adopted government’s resolution “On Endorsement of the List of Medicines, Medical and Pharmacological Equipment, Import of Which Is Exempted from VAT and Customs Duties” will allow reducing prices of medicines and making them more available for the population.

Ashurmad Marufov, chief specialist with the pharmacy and medical equipment department of the Ministry of Health, has remarked this in his interview with Asia-Plus.  According to him, this document is also dedicated to prevent illegal import of low-quality medicines to Tajikistan.   

“Earlier suppliers had tried to avoid paying a 20-percent VAT and a 5-percent customs duties by fair means or foul that had made control by the Health Ministry of medicine supplies difficult,” said Marufov, “Now medicines legally imported to the republic will be tested for meeting requirements of standards and only after that they will be permitted to come to chemist’s shops.”  It will allow preventing appearance of low-quality and forged medicines in the republic, according to him.  

This resolution has been worked by the Health Ministry in cooperation with other interested organizations of Tajikistan.