Cooch Behar Health dept launches district-wide inspection drive

Cooch Behar: Following directives from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Cooch Behar district Health department has launched a special crackdown on the sale of fake and expired medicines. Acting swiftly, a dedicated Drug Control Team has been formed to carry out an intensive inspection campaign across the district.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, district health officer Himadri Kumar Aadi stated: “We are conducting thorough inspections of medicine shops as per the Chief Minister’s instructions to ensure that no counterfeit or expired drugs are being sold. We’re also checking whether shopkeepers are displaying the mandatory list of available medicines outside their shops, as required.”

Aadi emphasised that, so far, no cases of counterfeit medicines have been reported. However, the department is leaving no stone unturned.

A joint team — comprising officials from the Drug Control Team, District Health Office and local police — is carrying out surprise visits from urban centres to remote villages. According to official data, there are over 2,000 medicine shops in Cooch Behar district. About 50 per cent of these have already been inspected.

Initial findings show that most shopkeepers are complying with regulations, including prominently displaying medicine price lists and Drug Control Board licenses. Those who have not complied have been given strict instructions to rectify the issue promptly.

“So far, the situation in the district appears to be under control,” added Aadi.

The Health department has assured that inspections will continue until every shop in the district is covered.