KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has mandated that all hospitals within its jurisdiction establish and operate their own pharmacies within the next 15 days. This directive, issued on Wednesday, aims to ensure that hospitals comply with regulations by managing their pharmacies directly rather than outsourcing them to third parties.

KMC has identified that the current practice of third-party management often leads to substandard service quality and inflated medication prices. To address these issues, the metropolis has issued this new directive.

Moreover, KMC has reinforced an existing apex court order that requires hospitals to run their own pharmacies, emphasizing the importance of adhering to this mandate for better service and fair pricing.