Turkmenistan’s state-run pharmacies are obliged to provide insulin and other medications to patients diagnosed with diabetes for free. However, in real life there are some constraints.
In the pharmacies of Geokdepe etrap, which borders the capital, the insulin injections, Aсtrapid and Trental pills are not distributed for free. A package of Trental (60 pills) can be purchased at 12 manats only in privately-owned pharmacies, which also sells a package of Thiogamma (30 pills) at 362 manats.
Сorrespondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that the residents of the capital have recently been experiencing problems related to free distribution of medications to the patients diagnosed with diabetes.
— In Mid 2018 I was registered as a diabetes patient and assigned to the pharmacy №1 located on Alisher Navoi street.At first I did not have any problems and I got Actropid and other necessary medications from the pharmacy.
However, since August 2019 the pharmacy has been giving me expired medications.My medical condition deteriorated and I was prescribed insulin injections.First, 5 ampules were handed out to me whereas now I get only three.
I had been previously prescribed to inject 10 cubic millimeters but in the meantime, in order to save the medication, I have to use only 8.Insulin and other medications are not enough even for a month.
I cannot afford to buy medications at private pharmacies with my retirement allowance of 450 manats, one of the Ashgabat residents said.
At the same time, according to the interlocutor of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, he is pleased that the state-run pharmacies hand out medications at a set date, albeit in reduced quantities.
Ampules of the used medications need to be returned to the pharmacy.We only have to purchase syringes and some other co-medications at our expense.
In the provinces the situation with regard to provision of medications to diabetics is much worse.