Health officials fear a shortage of life-saving drugs in the near future in the wake of the June 8 burning of a Karachi airport warehouse where the raw materials of these medicines were stored. These goods, estimated to be worth up to Rs1 billion, were destroyed during a siege of the airport by militants.
“It is a massive loss and could result in a shortage of those particular drugs in the country in the near future,” said a senior official at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) on the condition of anonymity.
When contacted, Director Pricing DRAP Amanullah said he was completely unaware of the issue. DRAP Chief Executive Officer Arshad Khan was unavailable for a comment.
The official said the raw materials had been imported from the US, Europe, China, India and other Southeast Asian countries; the imported goods reached the airport at the end of May and were awaiting clearance from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and customs authorities. “The delay in the issue of the no-objection certificate is actually one of the reasons for this significant loss,” the official said.
The raw material was intended for the manufacture of various medicines such as tablets, capsules, syrups, injections, creams and sachets. Additionally, 80 per cent of packaging materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), aluminum foil, glass vials or rubber is also imported. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in the manufacture of psychotropics and narcotics were also destroyed in the fire, as were diagnostic kits and other medicinal products. “The import of these materials takes place over three months,” the official told The Express Tribune. “We don’t know how we are going to overcome this loss. Patients’ lives completely rely on these medications and a slight decrease in the supply in the market can greatly affect their lives.”
The DRAP deputy director general has issued a circular after the incident, saying that all air freight consignments must be cleared within 24 hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2014.
COMMENTS (8)
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@citizen26. Caste is alive and well in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Your ruling class would not eat from dishes (pots and pans and plates) used by lower class people. It is more evident at the time marriages. A blue eyed Pathan is unlikely to let his daughter marry a son of Nai. Same is true in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is the bane of the system. It has nothing to do with religion. It is true among the Christians as well as Sikhs.
If you do not want to purchase medications from India directly - then buy the same stuff from the Middle East. Pretty soon Pakistani Taliban will get into the trade of 'legit' drugs as well.
@Citizen26 Is there logic that you want to relate trade with number of reported rapes in other country ? Are emotions overtaking reasoning ?
@Citizen26: I agree with you 100% but question is why they are moving ahead on full steam. I think some body can make lot of money by opening chemist shop on border.
@Citizen26 if you dont want to consider this as favour, then take it as business. You are buying from China, no ? India's population is large and law are favorable for women, and hence reported cases are more and punished people are more too. Not like other nations where police system is weak. Percentage Number of Aids is not huge in India. Poverty figures are similar to that of Pakistan. and earning per capita is more in India. Caste system had nothing to do with race, and castes now are loosing meanings mostly. You have to refresh your readings. While in Pakistan race and sect things are much more severe.
You can take help from China, Russia (non-muslims), By the way you took engines from China, what happened then !
@Sudhanshu Swami: We don't need favours from a country that threatens our existence. And i guess, India has a lot more to deal with domestically rather than showing interest in Pakistan's issues. Sort your house in order: Most number of rapes cases in the wolrd, Most number of Aids patients in the world, Most number of people who live in poverty (More than whole of 56 African nations) A country still lives in a cast system, i.e. Legalising racism and hatred
India should better sort this crap out first. If we want, we can take help from China, Iran and Turkey. However, unfortunately or fortunately our geographical location just invites US first here for some reason.
Simply another example of pathetic governance by our competent government
Sad story