Or take the case of Lubna Al Mehair, a resident of Ajman. She used Vicks bought from a nearby grocery for nasal congestion and was shocked to see rashes on her skin soon after. She had to be rushed to the emergency section of Khalifa Hospital where she was administered injection and medicines.

Shops in Ajman and Sharjah are still selling medicines like Panadol and Panadol Extra, Aspirin, Vicks, creams for headache and backache as well as medicines to help digestion despite a ban and people seem to ignore the health hazards.

Although the two municipalities have intensified inspection campaigns to protect public health, many of the shops have been able to circumvent the restrictions.

Saif Salim Al Shamsi, Deputy Director of the Ajman Municipality, told Khaleej Times that the Health Section would carry out an intensive inspection campaign targeting the supermarkets and groceries, which had already received the circulars about the ban, to ensure that they abide by the ban.

The groceries and supermarkets were not given licence to sell any kind of medicine. “They should not sell any medicine, compromising the health of the public. Some of these shops have been found violating regulations by importing medicines made in India and Pakistan to sell them to expatriates from these countries,” he said.

He explained that several people who used Aspirin bought from such groceries had ended up in the hospitals suffering from stomach ailments.

Al Shamsi said the health inspectors of the municipality would impose fines on shops found violating the municipality ban. He also urged the public to cooperate with the municipality and complain about any shop selling medicines.

A senior official of Sharjah Municipality said that all types of over-the-counter or prescribed medicines must only be sold by the pharmacies. People must buy them only after consulting the pharmacist who would know the effects of those medicines. “The municipality will not tolerate those who compromise public health in order to make profit,” he said.

Interestingly, a good majority of residents still believe that using medicines bought from these groceries and supermarkets would not affect their health. They find it easier to go to the nearest shop than pharmacies for buying medicines for common ailments.

“I can’t go all the way from my home to look for a pharmacy only to buy one tablet of Panadol. The pharmacy would force me to buy the whole box of tablets when the grocery in my building is ready to give me the number of tablets I want. And the groceries are located in most of the residential buildings,” said Latha Al Meida, a resident of Sharjah.