Medicine shortage imperils patients

Unaffordability affects production, supply

MIANWALI:

A shortage of life-saving medicines in Mianwali and other areas is threatening to jeopardise the lives of a large number of patients.

According to market sources, the reasons for shortage of medicines are a continuous and huge increase in the prices, black marketing and unaffordability for the poor. They said the supply of some medicines in government hospitals had also been stopped.

The sources said large companies across the country had reduced the production of medicines and their unavailability in markets was leading to black marketing.

They said complaints had been received about the shortage of medicines of epilepsy, antibiotics, injections, syrups, drops, tablets and liver medicine. The availability of vitamin tablets, medicines for diabetes, insulin and vaccines for allergies has also been affected.

Read: Committee formed to address shortage of life-saving medicines

A resident of Mianwali said where the medicines were available, their prices were inflated substantially and they were being sold without receipts after haggling.

The destitute patients face a higher risk because of lack of affordability and unavailability of free medicines in government hospitals.

When contacted, District Health Officer Dr Azizur Rehman Malik said his department was doing its best to serve the patients by managing the available funds and medicines. However, he expressed helplessness regarding improving the supply of medicines in the markets.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2024.