Free contraceptives sold in Bengkulu

Free contraceptives sold in Bengkulu

BENGKULU: Contraceptives, which were originally to be
distributed freely to low income families, were sold in a number
of drugstores in Bengkulu despite clear identification denoting
that they were not for sale.

The contraceptives could be found at Panorama drugstores on
Jalan Suprapto, here, in the form of pills (microgynon and
planotab) and injectable substances like depo progeston and
depogestin.

One of store owners put away the contraceptives when Antara
asked their price. He said that he had bought the contraceptives
from a doctor, who had just finished his working contract with
the government.

Head of Bengkulu office of the National Family Planning Board
(BKKBN) Poerwijayanto confirmed that there are many such drugs on
sale at the drugstores.

"Our officers once acted as undercover agents and found out
that many contraceptives allocated for participants of the family
planning program were sold openly," he added. (02)