288 Drugstores In Mianyang Resume Operation

288 retail drugstores in Mianyang City have reportedly resumed their business after the recent Wenchuan earthquake.

In addition, 50% of the retail drugstores in the eight counties and cities affected by the earthquake, except for those in Beichuan County, have resumed their operations.

After the earthquake hit Sichuan on May 12, 2008, Mianyang Food and Drug Administration immediately launched an emergency plan, set up an earthquake relief team and sent a rescue team and psychological counseling team to the disaster areas. The administration also encouraged pharmaceutical production enterprises to resume production as soon as possible to ensure adequate supply of medicines in the affected areas.

In addition, Mianyang Food and Drug Administration actively cooperated with Health Bureau to collect demand information about equipments for medical treatment, disease control, health and rescue; organize the reception of donations; and dispatch medicines. By May 17, Mianyang Food and Drug Administration had dispatched medicines and medical devices with a total value of RMB40 million to 99 rescue points and 115 hospitals in Beichuan, Anxian, Jiangyou, Pingwu and Mianyang, which effectively supported the relief efforts of the disaster areas.

The administration also strengthened the inspection of food and medicines in densely populated areas such as rescue points and hospitals to prevent counterfeit and shoddy products.