The Ministry of Health’s Directorate General of Medicines, Supplies and Drugs (Digemid) and the Integrated Health Networks Directorates (Diris) for Lima Centro, Sur, Norte, and Este closed sixteen pharmacies across several districts on March 20 after finding expired and improperly stored medicines and medical devices. The National Police detained four individuals as a result of these operations.
These joint operations were carried out simultaneously in Cercado de Lima, San Martín de Porres, Ate, and Villa María del Triunfo. Vanessa Brigada, head of Digemid’s Team Against Illegal Trade, said: “Estos operativos conjuntos se han realizado de manera simultánea en el Cercado de Lima, San Martín de Porres, Ate y Villa María del Triunfo, donde se incautó medicamentos y dispositivos médicos vencidos, falsificados, sin registro sanitario y en mal estado de conservación, cuyo uso puede poner en riesgo la salud y la vida de las personas.”
In Cercado de Lima’s Jirón Chancay area alone, five pharmacies were closed. Authorities seized expired inhaler chambers used for asthma treatment and injection needles that were past their expiration date. Medical devices stored at high temperatures or in unsanitary conditions were also confiscated along with counterfeit vinegar labeled as “bully”.
In San Martín de Porres district, four pharmacies—El Pacífico on Av. Zarumilla; Hogar y Salud on Av. Tomás Valle; America and Mi Ahorro on Av. Eduardo de Habich—were shut down due to the absence of a responsible pharmacist. In Ate district, four informal establishments operating without health authorization or technical direction were also closed.
A coordinated effort with the Municipality of Villa María del Triunfo led to the closure of three more establishments near the Cooperativo “San Gabriel” market: Botica Joven (Jr. San Eugenio 180), Botica Duo Farma (Jr. San Antonio 315), and Botica G y F (Jr. San Eugenio 178). These lacked both sanitary authorization and a responsible pharmacist.
Brigada said that such surprise inspections will continue nationwide in coordination with Diris from Metropolitan Lima as well as regional health directorates: “Tras anunciar que estos operativos se continuarán realizando de forma inopinada y continua en todo el país en coordinación con las Diris de Lima Metropilitana y las direcciones t gerencias regionales de salud (Diresas y Geresas), Brigada hizo un llamado a la ciudadanía para que denuncie los casos de comercio ilegal de medicamentos ingresando al portal web de la Digemid www.digemid.minsa.gob.pe y así contribuir en la lucha contra este flagelo que atenta contra la salud pública.”
