ISLAMABAD: It can be petrifying to learn if a pharmacy fails to serve you because of the shortage of stock when seasonal illnesses force you to rush there for medicines to lower your temperature or relieve your child’s cough.
The situation could be even worse if you are running from pillar to post in search of medicines used for serious diseases such as cancer, tubercules or blood pressure. Like many other European and Asian countries Pakistan is also facing an acute shortage of medicines. It is an alarming situation in the country where around 1,000 life-saving drugs (LSDs) are unavailable in the market.
The current drug crises are caused by the unaffordable cost of production fueled by import hiccups, and increasing petrol and dollar rates.
The appreciated dollar against the Pakistani rupee, the ballooning prices of petroleum products, and high freight charges on imported raw materials have all taken a toll on the input cost of pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan, with several multinational companies shutting their plants and local ones struggling to survive the onslaught of the economic crisis.
The unavailability of these LSDs is putting lives at risk for cancer TB, sugar, and blood pressure patients.
Market Survey by WE news
During a market survey of drug stores in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad by WE News, it was learned that more than 1,000 LSDs and a large number of other vital drugs including ORS and painkillers such as Voltral were not available in any pharmacy.
Pharmacists said that a large number of people were seeking ORS due to diarrhoeal prevalence in the twin cities, but it was missing in the market as not a single company in Pakistan was producing the product. They said that chances of diarrhoea prevalence were high in the summer and the absence of ORS was alarming as it was putting the lives of children and old age people at great risk.
It was learned that the drugs used for sugar, blood pressure (BP), tuberculosis, thyroid, cancer, and mental patients, including molecules like anti-cancer, anti-tuberculosis, ORS, antibiotics, painkillers, Tegrall, Divon 80, Thiroxin, and Prothiaden were also in short supply in the market.
Blame game between PPMA and health ministry
Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) representatives held a meeting with health ministry officials on Friday, seeking an increase in the price of several medicines.
Sources said that Federal Health Secretary Fakhir-e-Alam assured the PPMA delegation that a summary would be sent to the finance ministry soon seeking approval to increase the prices.
There is a strong possibility that drug prices would go up soon as the PPMA has demanded to increase prices by 38 per cent.
An official in the pharma industry on condition of anonymity told WE News that up to 10 multinational companies have shut their plants and currently the local pharma industry was facing up to 40 per cent of production capacity deficiency. He said that if the government did not address the issue immediately, local pharma companies would also be forced to stop production.
The plight of poor patients
On the other hand, patients with health cards, who have been waiting for various surgeries at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad, were suffering a long delay as medicine and equipment were not available at the largest health facility. Other patients who can afford drugs at a high price from the market and through the ‘black market’ were getting their surgeries done, sources said.
PPMA chairman’s stance
PPMA Chairman Syed Farooq Bukhari told WE News: “We are running from pillar to post for the last few months but the government is not addressing the issue seriously. In meetings, they show us that they agree with our point to raise the drug price but practically they are not doing it, fearing public backlash.”
He believed that many multinational companies have left Pakistan and many locals were on the verge of shutdown. “This will create a severe crisis in the country if the issue is not tackled on time,” he said.
Pointing out some of the reasons for the crisis, he said the held-up IMF crucial bailout package was one of them. He said that drug production in South Asian countries including in Pakistan has plunged by 21.5 per cent in recent months due to the denial by commercial banks to facilitate the import of raw materials by issuing letters of credit (LCs).
Syed Farooq said that the DRAP did recently increase the prices of 19 drugs, including fever reducers and pain relievers but that increase was insufficient and there was a need to increase it by 38 per cent.
He argued that 90 per cent of raw material was imported into Pakistan and the US dollar had jumped from 230 to around 283 against the Pakistani rupees, and the prices of petrol, gas, and diesel and utility charges have increased many folds. “Now we are hearing that the government is going to increase the minimum wage to Rs30,000. How can we survive in such a scenario? he asked.
DRAP
Despite several attempts by WE News to take his version, DRAP Chief Executive Officer Asim Rauf refused to talk saying “he is in a meeting.”
Global Scenario
The World Economic Forum 2023 report says that common medicines, particularly generic versions like antibiotics, are becoming unavailable in many parts of the world, raising concerns among consumers, government officials, and business leaders. A confluence of factors is responsible for the shortfall, including inflation, increased infections, regulations, and supply-chain disruptions.
According to the research, there are shortages of common medications throughout South Asia, Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
Also, several nations have temporarily stopped the parallel trade of pharmaceuticals to other nations to safeguard their limited supply of medications. If a shortage of over-the-counter medications is reported on the news, customers start hoarding.
