MOSCOW, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - The head of Russia's service overseeing healthcare and social development, Ramil Khabriyev, has been dismissed over the shortage of prescription drugs, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said Monday.
Since the notorious law replacing benefits with financial compensation came into force in 2005, many cheap prescription drugs, or drugs intended for free distribution among war veterans and disabled people, have almost disappeared from drugstores.
In late February, President Vladimir Putin said he was unhappy with the prescription drug situation and demanded that the drug deficit be covered, adding that the problems could and should have been foreseen.
Pro-presidential faction United Russia said Monday it will demand that Health and Social Development Minister Mikhail Zurabov be dismissed unless he submits proposals to rectify the situation by March 20.