The country faces an alarming shortage of more than 200 essential drugs, leaving hospitals and pharmacies without critical medications. Shockingly, around 100 of these medications have no alternative brands, exacerbating the crisis.
Causes and Impact of the Medicine Crisis
Several factors contribute to the current medicine crisis in Pakistan. Local pharmaceutical companies have ceased production due to demands for higher prices from manufacturers. Moreover, fluctuations in the exchange rate have hindered the import of certain medications, exacerbating the scarcity.
Critical Medications in Short Supply and Risky Alternatives
The shortage of essential medicines encompasses a wide range of conditions, including tuberculosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, mental illnesses, and life-threatening diseases. Notably, even preventive vaccines, such as those for cervical cancer, Hepatitis B and A, and essential eye drops for cataract prevention, are in short supply. Desperate patients are resorting to smuggled and counterfeit medicines, posing serious health risks.
Initiatives to Address the Crisis and Secure Patient Lives
The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has highlighted the infeasibility that some local and multinational pharmaceutical companies face, leading to halted production. In response, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has submitted a list of 220 essential medicines as hardship cases to the Ministry of Health, seeking approval for price increases from the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet. Additionally, DRAP is working to expedite registrations and facilitate the import of critical medicines from countries with lower prices.
