You're reading: Turchynov instructs customs to clear influenza medicines without delay

First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov has instructed the State Customs Service to clear medicines being imported into Ukraine in connection with the influenza epidemic without days.

Turchynov’s press service announced this to Ukrainian news after a meeting that Turchynov held with the leaderships of drugstore chains to discuss provision of medicines to the population during the epidemic.

«In a separate directive, Oleksandr Turchynov has instructed the State Customs Service to clear medicines coming from abroad without days,» the press service said.

Turchynov also instructed drugstores of all ownership forms to remain open at weekends.

The participants in the meeting also approved a list of medicines and illness prevention means such as flu masks and gloves that should be stocked by every drugstore.

According to the press service, prices of preventive medicines should not be higher than the prices set in retail drugstore as of October 20.

influenza medicine will be sold exclusively based on prescription in order to prevent its panic buying.

Turchynov stressed the need to inform the population about the difference between preventive and therapeutic medicines.

According to him, unhealthy demand for and uncontrolled purchase of unnecessary medicines by citizens are presently being observed in drugstores.

Turchynov also instructed pharmaceutical enterprises to operate 24 hours per day to ensure production of the necessary quantities of medicines.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has requested that the European Commission and NATO provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in connection with the A(H1N1) influenza epidemic.

Russia intends to assist Ukraine in combating the influenza epidemic.

India has announced that it intends to provide Ukraine with medicines for preventing the influenza epidemic in Ukraine from spreading.

The Health Ministry has declared an epidemic of the A(H1N1) influenza in Ukraine.