Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan on Tuesday informed the Senate that the Ministry of National Health and Regulation notified a decrease in prices of 20 essential medicines on January 13, 2023. Responding to a Calling Attention Notice raised by Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani about the increase in prices of medicines, medical instruments and vaccines in the country, the minister said that the federal minister for National Health Abdul Qadir Patel should be appreciated for providing relief to the people. He said that the country’s witnessed a continuous increase in the prices of medicines during the period of 2018 to 2022 before the inception of the incumbent government. He went on to say that after the Cabinet meeting, nine percent hike was made in the prices of 464 medicines in 2018 and 94 medicines in 2020 while prices of eight medicines were enhanced in 2021. The minister said that pharmaceutical companies have also requested that if raw materials for medicines were not released, it might face problems. Earlier, raising the Calling Attention Notice, Dr Mehra Taj pointed out the non-availability of drugs besides skyrocketing prices of it. Meanwhile, the House rejected the adjournment motion of Mohsin Aziz about the deteriorating economy, the lowest level of foreign reserves and continuous inflation. Some 25 senators voted against it while 19 supported it.