Staff Correspondent
Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) has announced a 10% to 50% price reduction on 33 types of essential medicines. Managing Director Samad Mridha stated at a press conference on Wednesday that rationalizing raw material procurement costs enabled the price cuts. The list includes antibiotics, hypertension medications, gastric drugs, asthma treatments, and vitamins.
Significant price drops affect omeprazole capsules, ketorolac injections, and ceftriaxone injections. Montelukast tablets have been reduced from 10.67 taka to just 5 taka. Among 32 medicines supplied to rural clinics, 22 have seen price reductions, including paracetamol, salbutamol, and metformin.
Mridha revealed EDCL had over 2,000 excess unskilled workers—722 have already been terminated due to fake credentials and non-performance. He emphasized that another 1,000+ layoffs are necessary for operational efficiency, citing systemic irregularities among dismissed staff.