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)