Pink eye drugs disappear

Prices of medicines skyrocket as black marketers make windfall profit

KARACHI:

A shortage of eye drops has hit the metropolitan city in the wake of outbreak of conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye. However, the price of this most-sought-after medication has soared, giving rise to a profit-driven black market and hoarding of eye drops. Medics, in the meantime, have debunked the myth that conjunctivitis can be transmitted by merely gazing into an infected person's eyes.

Public and private health institutions, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, have been reporting 70-80 cases every day. The pink-eye infection has affected a substantial number of Karachi residents, including many children. The most common symptoms include itchiness, inflammation, redness, watery eyes, and eye discharge.

To combat the risk of conjunctivitis infection and transmission, medics recommend several precautions. People should use hand sanitiser after washing their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. After applying eye drops to an affected person's eyes, hands should be promptly washed.

Additionally, avoid touching or rubbing the affected eyes and clean the area around the eyes multiple times a day. Used tissues should be discarded, and a separate bottle of eye drops should be used for each affected eye. It's crucial not to share eye drops, pillows, sheets, washcloths, towels, or personal items with others.

The lack of awareness regarding conjunctivitis has led a significant portion of the community to believe that this infection can be transmitted by direct eye contact. Medical experts emphasise that recommending sunglasses to affected individuals is merely a measure to protect their eyes from bright light, and proper hygiene practices can manage its spread.

With the daily increase in cases, many eye drops are no longer available in the city's wholesale markets and drug stores. The costs of various medications and eye drops have sharply increased, with prices surging by 20% in the past 15 days, according to vendors. Eye drops like Polypep, Gentak, Betnesol, Fluorometholone, and Aflacin have vanished from medical stores and wholesale drug markets in the city.

For instance, Fluorometholone, once priced at Rs55, Aflacin at Rs40, Betnesol at Rs60, and Octachloride at Rs50, now command higher prices, and profiteers are taking advantage of the situation.

SM Rais, the owner of a wholesale drugs store, noted that the increasing cases of conjunctivitis have led to a shortage of eye drops from various companies. These drops were previously available for Rs25 to 30, but now residents must pay twice as much for them.

To address this situation, pharma companies should maintain adequate supplies and ensure the timely delivery of medications to medical shops and wholesale markets. Given that most eye drops are manufactured in Pakistan, it is suspected that artificial scarcity is being created as part of a planned strategy. While a 5% price increase for these medications would have been reasonable, a 20% hike over the past 15 days seems excessive. Some local companies are selling eye drops like Jetra, Betasol, and Betamethasone with only a Rs2-3 difference.

Farooq Bukhari, chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), acknowledged that the Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved a 20% price increase for eye drops. Two main reasons account for the eye drop shortage in the city: unauthorised price increases that have led to losses for pharmaceutical companies and increased demand due to the conjunctivitis outbreak.

As the conjunctivitis epidemic rages on, people call upon the government, DRAP, and other relevant authorities to reduce the cost of eye drops.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2023.