The republic of Adygeya's health department has purchased hundreds of packs of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra using budget funds, according to documents published on the government procurement website.
The documents, which were posted online last week, showed the southern region's health department had made a 353,868 ruble ($10,227) order for 555 packets of the American pharmaceutical drug.
The drug is often used to treat pulmonary hypertension as well as helping cure erectile dysfunction, the regional health department was quoted as saying by Gazeta.ru.
The authorities in Adygeya are not the only government body to have orders for the drug listed on the government procurement website.
In April, a health directorate based in Moscow's southern administrative district placed a more than 2 million ruble ($58,000) order for 1800 packets of the drug, paying as much as $33.30 per packet — about $15 more per pack than authorities in Adygeya.
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