Daily Times

Will Pakistan’s healthcare system ever overcome the crippling consequences of medicine failure? The loss of lives due to counterfeit or substandard medications, inadequate dosing, and misdiagnosis remains a pressing concern. Medicine failure – defined as the ineffective or harmful provision of healthcare services due to counterfeit or substandard medications, insufficient medical education, poor healthcare infrastructure, and inadequate regulations – has devastating consequences.

Pakistan’s healthcare sector faces a dire phenomenon of vertical malfunction, where counterfeit medications, inaccurate diagnoses, and insufficient medical training exacerbate the crisis. The alarming proliferation of spurious or low-quality drugs, coupled with inadequate healthcare regulations and oversight, has eroded public confidence in the country’s medical infrastructure.

In 2024, Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, valued at over $3 billion, continues to grapple with corruption, inadequate oversight, and poor enforcement. Reports suggest that up to 40 percent of medications in the country are substandard or counterfeit, flooding the market and putting millions of lives at risk. Approximately 10-15 percent of the population – around 20 to 30 million people – experience medication-related problems annually. Alarmingly, medication non-adherence rates stand at 60-70 percent, while 40 percent of chronic disease patients discontinue treatment within six months due to medicine failure.

Funding for initiatives targeting medicine failure in Pakistan is projected to reach approximately $60 million in 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a significant percentage of medicines in Pakistan are either counterfeit or substandard. This crisis leads to high morbidity, mortality, and economic burdens, further undermining the integrity of the healthcare system. According to key statistics, 80 percent of healthcare providers lack proper training, as highlighted by the Pakistan Medical Association, while medicine failure accounts for 20 percent of healthcare costs, according to the Ministry of Health. These issues not only burden families and the healthcare system but also erode public trust in healthcare services.

Despite these challenges, there is hope. In 2024, funding for addressing medicine failure in Pakistan is expected to increase significantly. The WHO has allocated $15 million to strengthen the healthcare system, while UNICEF has committed $7.57 million for vaccine procurement and distribution. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) plans to invest $3.5 million in quality control and research initiatives. Additionally, The Health Foundation Pakistan aims to contribute $2.5 million to improve access to healthcare services.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is set to receive $1 million from international donors to enhance its regulatory capacity. Moreover, the government of Pakistan has budgeted $35 million for overall healthcare expenditure, representing 1.7 percent of the GDP. Organizations such as the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) are expected to contribute towards ending medicine failure and ensuring quality treatment.

In total, funding for initiatives targeting medicine failure in Pakistan is projected to reach approximately $60 million in 2024.

To address medicine failure, immediate steps include strengthening regulatory frameworks, enhancing inspections and monitoring of pharmaceutical facilities, improving medicine supply chains, and educating healthcare professionals and patients on the safe use of medications. Long-term solutions involve investing in pharmaceutical industry development, international collaborations, and enhancing healthcare system infrastructure and professional training.

By focusing on effective medications, accurate diagnoses, and sufficient medical training, Pakistan can prevent medicine failure. These bold initiatives can transform the pharmaceutical landscape, ensuring improved medicine quality and safety, increased access to effective treatments, enhanced patient outcomes, and significant economic benefits.

Collectively, these measures will reduce medicine failure rates, restore patient trust, and improve global health security. By implementing these solutions, governments, healthcare industries, and service providers can work together to overcome this crisis, ultimately saving lives and promoting healthier communities.

The writer is a freelance columnist.