Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The federal government and relevant authorities are yet to respond to alarm raised by the persistent acute shortage of medicines, some of which are lifesaving, prevailing across the country and in the federal capital as well for the past many months.

The medicines which are unavailable for last many weeks are Zantic a major medicine which is used in emergency, Polybion which is used for vitamins, Xanax and many other life savings medicines are also unavailable. The owners and the salesmen of the major pharmacies told this scribe about the unavailable and short medicines which are not coming in the market for the last many weeks.

The shortage of various medicines, according to sources, is directly linked to the failure of the federal government to resolve pricing issues with drug manufacturers that has lingered for many years.

On the other hand some vital medicines which are absent from the market for the last few months now came back in the market with almost double and triple rates, for example the price of a medicine Naurubion raised from Rs 247 per 100 tablets to Rs 535 per 100 tablets. The price of Naurubion injection raised from Rs 12 to Rs 22. The price of a medicine Nospa increased from Rs 53 to Rs 144 per 20 tablets.

When Daily Times tried to contact the ministry of health, officials said that the 11 Pharmaceutical Companies have taken stay orders from Sindh High Court since January this year but the federal government is contesting the case in the court.

The relevant authority also said that after the 18th amendment the provinces have the right of setting the prices.

But the ministry of health disassociated itself with the shortage of various medicines in the market. Sources told Daily Times that Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) CEO was a blue-eyed of the prime minister.