Just for a fistful of Dollars, this government with the nod of the institutions, has left it populace to die without medicines. IMF has not only snatched breads, but has also snatched the life saving medicines. In the history of Pakistan never has this much worst scenario ever been seen.
Faced with extremely low US dollar reserves, the Pakistani government has cut imports of essential food and medicine until an aid package is agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Industries such as steel, textiles, and pharmaceuticals are struggling, thousands of factories have been forced to close, and unemployment is rising.
Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association President Tukarul Haq told the media that 40 pharmaceutical factories are at risk of shutting down this week due to shortage of key ingredients. The shortage of raw materials and medicine also increases the prices.
“For the past 10 years, my medicine has been affordable,” Khan told Arab News as he pulled out some of the medicine from his backpack. 350 rupees and there is a shortage in the market.
The price of the medicine of most medicines tha one usually needs has increased by more than 200 percent, but his income remains stagnant.
Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Humalog medical insulin used to treat diabetes has already closed its operations in Pakistan, The exodus of multinational pharmaceutical companies has accelerated in recent years. In July 2022, Sanofi Aventis Pakistan limited also exited, sellings its plants to local companies.
The consequential unavailability of medicines can inevitably trigger a national health emergency. Health professionals are concerned about the potential scarcity of medicine.
include medicines for the treatment of psychological disorders, various types of cancers, broad-spectrum antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, diagnostic medicines and several other classes of medicines,
Similarly, essential surgeries and transplants were not being held throughout the country due to unavailability of the several medicines, pharmacists and healthcare professionals claimed and added that people are seriously suffering due to critical shortages of essential medicines. “Not only the production of several essential medicines has been stopped by the local pharmaceutical companies but some essential medicines used for the transplantation of organs are not being imported due to the dollar liquidity crunch. This situation is resulting in a serious health crisis in the country”, Salwa Ahsan, a senior pharmacist associated with a leading tertiary-care health facility in the capital said.
These medicines include Lithium Carbonate, an essential medicine used for the treatment of manic-depressive disorder and prevention of suicidal tendencies” This government know the people are too much depressed, so why give them ways of healing, let them die.
Pharmacists and drug distributors say the import ban has led to a shortage of raw materials and caused prices to rise by 37 percent within a month.
Despite repeated attempts, Arab News was unable to reach Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel for comment.
For example, the price of medicines available at 40 rupees.
