LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province set on fire 40 tons of expired medicines and foodstuff on Thursday, urging drug stores and shopkeepers to avoid selling expired items, Mawlawi Fazli Ahmad, the provincial director for Public Health said on Friday.
According to the official, the burned items had been collected from drug stores and shops over a couple of days and such a move would continue.
In a similar act, health officials destroyed 4.3 tons of expired food in southern Uruzgan province recently.
Collecting and torching poor quality medicine and food items are part of efforts by Afghan authorities to ensure the safety of medicines and food items.
