PMA cautions shortage of essential medicines in Sindh and Punjab

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) expressed grave concern over the acute shortage of essential medicines used to treat cardiac diseases and hepatitis, calling it a “humanitarian crisis.”, Express News reported on Sunday.

The PMA warned that the scarcity, particularly in Sindh and Punjab, poses severe risks to patients’ lives, with complaints pouring in from healthcare providers and patients across the country.

According to reports, the shortage of life-saving drugs has delayed treatments, leading to heightened risks of complications and fatalities. The situation has hit underprivileged patients hardest, exposing deep-rooted inequalities in healthcare access.

The association criticised the government for neglecting the crisis and demanded immediate action. It urged authorities to investigate the causes of the shortages and strengthen the drug regulatory framework to prevent future occurrences.

The PMA called for transparent procurement and equitable distribution of medicines to mitigate the crisis. “This negligence is unacceptable. The government must prioritise resolving this issue,” the PMA stated.

Polio cripples four more children

Four new cases of poliovirus were reported from different parts of the country. The new cases pushed the tally of poliovirus cases in the country to 63.

According to National Institute of Health (NIH), the latest cases were reported from Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Jacobabad and Sukkur.

Among those crippled by poliovirus, three are girls and one is boy. All four cases were classified as Wild Polio Virus Type-1.