A fundamental function of the healthcare system is to fulfill the healthcare needs of the population. However, the provision of essential medicines, accessibility of the medicines & appropriate medical technology, and prioritizing the emerging healthcare policies make the healthcare industry grow.

In developing countries, including Pakistan, insufficient access to essential medicines is perhaps a common issue. The policy response is compelled among the other factors in our country due to the lack of in-depth evidence.

The gap has been identified regarding the accessibility of the necessary medicines in Pakistan, and also the measures are taken to fill-up the gap.

Access to essential medicines and healthcare equipment during COVID-19 has tremendously affected the whole pharmaceutical sector. The increasing demand for drugs during the pandemic was cop-up by online and offline pharmacies also where the online deliveries were made by following the policies and proper guidelines deliver authentic medicines at doorsteps.

Accessibility of Essential Medicines

The (WHO) World Health Organization has explained the term of essential medicines only as those medicines that truly satisfy most of the population’s need regarding healthcare.

The support for the accessibility of medicines is guaranteed under the Millennium Development Goal 8 and the supply of high-quality and affordable medicines that develop the healthcare system.

The proper enforcement of the regulations, policies, monitoring, and check and balance, helps to overcome the issue of access to medicines and other public healthcare concerns, just like ensuring the production and supply of authentic medications to prevent the supply of counterfeit medicines at the physical pharmacy and online pharmacy.

Implementation of Policies regarding Medicines

The existence of guidelines and policies is to ensure the state regulation of the supply as well as the demand of medicines that involve both the quality and safety of the manufactured and imported drugs and also the rational use of the medicines by the practitioners.

Implementation of the healthcare policies regarding fulfilling the demand for medicines and ease of access to medicines while focusing on prescriptions either at physical pharmacies or online is essential. The pricing policy must also be considered so that Pakistanis won’t face the issues in treating their medical problems.

Under the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, a major step was established, “Drug Regulatory Authority,” that ensures the implementation of policies, as well as the guidelines with effective regulations, followed in the healthcare system.

Pakistan, with around 759 pharmaceutical companies, including the operated 25 multinationals ones, is meeting over 70% of the demand for Finished Medicine in the country. However, these manufacturing units’ major concern is the accurate quality and regulations of the product based on the WHO practices and ICH guidelines.

Moreover, due to the correct implementation of the health policies and access to essential medicines, the sector had made huge sales in 2020. The overall pharmaceutical sales have recorded a high number of sales.

Pharma Sales up by 9% in 2020

Overall the pharmaceutical sales for the previous year, 2020, had reported a record at RS 453.5 billion, reaching a growth of 9 percent as, according to the report of IQVIA that is the global information and technology solution provider.

All-an-all, this sector had recorded like highest sales as in 2020 in March, whereas it also gets $ 1.3 million in Foreign Direct Investment as in April of the previous year 2020. It is estimated to record even more as the second wave of COVID-19 is highly affecting people’s health in 2021 also.

Access to Medicines: Policy Intervention

Pakistan is rapidly growing due to technology, but the pharmaceutical sector’s growth and technology require the accessibility of medicines. The essential medicinal products and items are now also available online. Still, the key focus points to consider as per the research are the parameters that will help to understand a clear picture of the health system.

Rational Drug Use

Reliable health systems are available to ensure medicines’ accessibility and effectiveness. This term, as rational drug use, implies using the right medicine or drug for the right treatment for the cure of a patient’s disease. The adequate dose for the durable duration at the lowest cost helps the patients to get a cure.

A prescription has to be prescribed by the doctor for every individual patient because the usage of any drug without the doctor’s permission can be harmful. The right medicine, at the right time at an affordable price, satisfies the needs of a patient.

However, it is not enough! WHO has also recommended that every single medicine should be labeled as it must at least contain a dosing regimen, the patient name, and the drug dose in prescription.

Affordable Prices

The reason behind the affordability of medicines is that every citizen should get proper treatment for the health issue and should be able to get the medicines on time.

Medicine prices in the city of Pakistan- Lahore division were previously found higher in comparison with the IRPs- international reference prices. However, efforts should be made to ensure a pocket-friendly drug pricing policy for the patient that should favor prices and improves affordability.

Moreover, the higher prices of essential medicines are considered one of the primary and significant barriers to access to medicines.

Sustainable Financing

Sufficient like adequate health financing is to remove the financial barriers for the patients. Stakeholders are less concerned over the sustainable financing of drugs compared to other parameters.

It reflects the issues of under-funding in healthcare or medicines and the low availability of drugs to the public sectors.

Reliable Health Systems

It is essential to have a reliable health system to facilitate people who are not good with health. Health systems ensure not only the sufficient production of medicines but also the adequate supply chain management of the essential drugs, quality assurance, and even appropriate human resources.