A critical shortage of essential and lifesaving medications has gripped markets across Lahore and other cities, leaving patients in dire straits. Many vital drugs are no longer available at wholesale markets or pharmacies, including major chain stores, sparking concerns over the health and safety of patients.
Estimates suggest that more than 50% of the medications on the World Health Organization’s essential medicines list are either completely unavailable or extremely difficult to find. Among the missing drugs are Metronidazole, Entamizole, Quinine bi-Sulphate, Chloroquine, Tegral, and critical injections such as Humulin, Vitamin K, Hydrocortisone, and Heparin. Medicines for chronic conditions, including those for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and tuberculosis, are also affected, posing a significant risk to patients.
Industry stakeholders attribute the shortage to a combination of factors, including the devaluation of the rupee, inflation, rising wages, and increased utility costs. Despite these challenges, prices of essential medicines have remained stagnant, leaving manufacturers with little to no profit margin. In some cases, the cost of production exceeds the retail price, leading to a halt in manufacturing.
“Heart, diabetes, cancer, and epilepsy patients are suffering due to the unavailability of drugs,” said Mian Khalid Misbah-ur-Rehman, Central Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA). He warned that these shortages, combined with hoarding, have led to the sale of essential medicines at inflated prices.
Patients are also at risk of being forced to buy unregistered, smuggled, or counterfeit drugs. Misbah-ur-Rehman urged the government to revise drug prices to provide a reasonable profit margin for manufacturers and retailers, calling for the implementation of the Drug Pricing Policy 2018 in full. He stressed the need for an annual price revision to ensure a sustainable solution to the recurring drug shortages, which continue to burden both patients and the pharmaceutical industry.
