DUSHANBE, July 28, Asia-Plus — Speaking to journalists in Dushanbe on July 26, Deputy Economic and Trade Minister, Amonullo Ashour, noted that the one of the main requirements of the country’s poverty reduction program is to develop basic public services, rendered to the population.
However, education and health sectors do not pay proper attention to this issue, according to him.
“Thus, payment for studying at higher educational institutions on contractual basis costs on average $500 per year, while many people cannot afford to pay such money,” the deputy minister said.
According to him, Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov admitted this himself at a board meeting of the Ministry of Education that was held on July 14. “The minister admitted that students from vulnerable families cannot pay such an amount for studying,” said Ashour, “According to him, these funds go to paying wages of lecturers and covering expenses on development of the educational facilities. However, instances of untargeted use of funds have been recorded in some higher educational institutions. Thus, inspection of the Dushanbe Teachers’ Training University has revealed that the institute purchased a car for 60,000 somonis. The question arises what relation does purchase of car bear to quality of services?”
On shortcomings in activity of the health sector, the deputy minister noted that following request of the ministry of health (MoH), the government last year lifted a 20-percent VAT from medicines imported into the country. “However, according to our data, prices of medicines in chemist’s shops monthly rise by 5 percent,” said Ashour, “When we sent a letter to Health Minister Rano Abdurahmonova asking for clarification of the situation, she said that our arguments are unfounded and no concrete example was cited in the letter.” Her reply is a kind of attempt to justify mistakes made by the Center for State Supervision of Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Activity, according to him.
The deputy minister added the cases of violating control over quality and safety of medicines had been revealed in work of Center for State Supervision of Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Activity. According to him, the center set inflated prices of its services. “As a result, all increases, including VAT, are added to cost of medicine,” said the deputy minister, “Besides, employees of the center take too many medicines for testing. Thus, if a bulk contains 100 packages of medicines, they take 10 or 12 packages for testing, while there are medicines, which cost 600-650 somonis. All this affects prices of products.”
According to him, they have also managed to lower price of cement in the country. “As a result of deal between entrepreneurs, the cement price has unfoundedly been increased to 1 somoni per one kilogram,” said Ashour, “Due to joint work of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, and other relevant bodies, the cement prices have been decreased to 65-70 dirams per kilogram.”
“Currently, we are considering issues related to unfounded rise in prices of wheat flour, meat, vegetable oil, and grain in the country,” Ashour said, noting that special groups have been set up to work in Dushanbe, Sughd, and Khatlon.
