Two pharmaceutical enterprises promised to decrease some medications under the proposal of the Vietnam Drug Administration (VDA).
Cardiovascular drug Vasterel will be decreased 10 percent as Les Laboratoires Servier promises to reduce its price
In response to VDA’s appeal to foreign pharmaceutical enterprises in Vietnam for reducing prices of drugs, Ebewe Pharma GmbH Nfg. KG of Austria and Les Laboratoires Servier of France sent a notification to VDA to say they will reduce prices of specific drugs for treatment of cancer, heart diseases, diabetes and antibiotics.
Austria’s pharmaceutical companies said it will decrease 16 medications over 31 for treatment cancer diseases. Its products will have an average decrase from 5 percent to 12 percent.
Meanwhile France said it decreased by 7 percent for drugs for treatment diabetes (Diamicron 80mg) and 10 percent for cardiovascular disease medicines (Vastaren).
In addition, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is considering reducing prices of some drugs with huge turnover and quantity, including antibiotic for adults and kids.
Especially, these companies pledged to keep stable supply of specific drugs in hospital pharmacies.
No power cuts are expected in the near future during peak hours of usage as water levels in reservoirs are sufficiently high, according to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).
According to the National Meteorology Forecasts Centre, as of November 22, water levels in central and southern reservoirs were 4.7 to 22 metres higher than dead-water levels.
Water levels in northern reservoirs, such as those at Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang and Song Da hydro-power plants, were seven to 10 metres lower than the same period last year.
Dang Hoang An, deputy general director of EVN, said higher water levels had helped to bring hydro-power plants in Central Highlands and southern provinces to normal operations.
An said a number of thermo-power plants would be suspended for periodic maintenance in preparation for power generation in the dry season of 2011.
To avoid power cuts in peak hours, EVN would continue to purchase electric power from abroad and run plants using expensive fuels such as FO and DO.
He added that EVN had been making plans to release water from reservoirs to irrigate the spring crop in 2011.
EVN’s subsidiaries, in coordination with irrigation companies in the Red River Delta, had been inspecting the irrigations systems to receive sources of water from reservoirs and use them economically.
Taxis on Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Ha Noi. Taxi companies in Ha Noi and HCM City have pledged to cut fares in response to recent reductions in petrol prices and increasing public pressure. — VNS Photo Truong Vi
Ha Noi — Taxi companies in Ha Noi and HCM City have pledged to cut fares in response to recent reductions in petrol prices and increasing public pressure.
Taxis in Ha Noi will lower fares by 10 per cent within the next week, vowed Ha Noi Taxi Association chairman Do Quoc Binh at a meeting in the capital city on Wednesday.
While petrol prices account for 30-35 per cent of taxi fares, Binh sought to remind people that fares were also determined by other costs, e.g., insurance, taxes and registration fees, and meter calibration fees.
Nevertheless, the association insisted that about half of the city’s taxi companies had already reduced rates by VND500 to VND1,000 per kilometre within four days of the cut in petrol prices – a fare reduction of about 10-20 per cent.
Nguyen Minh Taxi Co was the first out of the gate to reduce fares, cutting rates early this week to VND8,000 for the first two kilometres and VND6,000 per kilometre thereafter. Net Taxi, Long Bien Taxi, Huong Lua Taxi and Mai Linh Taxi have each since followed suit.
Several HCM City-based taxi operators have expressed their intention to reduce fares, including VinaSun, Future Star and Mai Linh. VinaSun deputy director Ta Long Hi said his company would cut fares from VND11,000 to VND10,500 per kilometre, with rates of VND7,000 per kilometre after the 31st kilometre.
Future Star director Vo Ba also said his firm would trim fares by VND1,000 per kilometre.
Government cuts petrol price by VND1,000
HA NOI — The Ministry of Finance approved a proposal yesterday by petrol importers to cut the retail price of petrol and oil by VND1,000 (US$0,06) per litre nationwide as of today. With the approval, a litre of A92 petrol is now down to VND13,000. The new selling price for a litre of diesel oil is VND13,000 and kerosene, VND13,500. The Ministry of Finance yesterday also announced that import taxes would be raised to 25 per cent for petrol and kerosene. Diesel taxes will be increased to 20 per cent from 15 per cent. The new import tax rates will be applied starting November 18. This is the seventh time since early October the petroleum price has been adjusted down in the wake of price drops in the world’s market. The world oil price hit a record high of $147.27 per barrel in July, while yesterday it was around $57.82. Importers said modest decreases in the oil price were justified, because of large losses incurred when prices reached highs of around $140 per barrel. —
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