Minimal resources: Commonly used medicines in short supply

Citizens in frenzy, alternate prescriptions found to be scarce

ISLAMABAD: Shortage of medicines regularly used by patients to treat common ailments such as flu, allergy, blood pressure and others have caused problems for many patients, forcing them to run from one pharmacy to another in search of alternate medications.

Commonly used medicines such as multivitamins and antibiotics, heart and blood pressure medication, as well as medication for flu and allergies and asthma inhalers for small children, are not available in the market.  According to salesmen of various stores, these medications are sold out soon after being stocked. Only a limited stock is available after a gap and they too quickly disappear off the shelves.

Medicines for flu, allergy, heat and blood pressure such as Arinac, Panadol CF, Actifed P, Adalat, Tronolane, Azomax, Zatofem, Flamazine, are not available, said Tahir Ali, a salesman at the medical store in Aabpara. We have to turn away about 40 patients daily who ask for anti-allergens and flu medicines, he said.

The allergy season is currently prevalent in the federal capital and residents have been facing problems due to a shortage of medicines. Though pollen allergy is a seasonal issue, regular allergies, however, are present the year round.

Faiza, who was suffering from flu, said that a doctor had prescribed her Arinac. But every type of the medicine is currently unavailable in the market for the past few months. She said that she had visited many pharmacies, but has been unable to find it anywhere.

Panadol Cold and Fever, which is similar to Arinac, too has been unavailable, she said. "It is hard to roam around in different markets just to find a simple tablet," she complained. “A good physician always prescribes medicines along with alternates so that the patient does not have to run from pillar to post in search of a particular medication. But it becomes a problematic situation when the alternates are also unavailable,” a physician said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2018.