Amid the fifth Covid-19 wave when the number of active cases across the country has crossed the 100,000 mark, a common pain reliever Paracetamol has been disappeared in the market. The medicine is available only in the black market at a much high price. Its’ again a demand and supply issue. The medicine is extensively used by patients suffering from Covid-19 and Dengue fever. As the cases were rising, the government should have taken preemptive measures but the approach of taking action at the eleventh hour has again created problems for the masses. The delayed action by the concerned authorities provide a chance to the mafias to exploit the situation who earn undue profits. Although, 15 pharmaceutical companies have been issued show-cause notices for failing to manufacture Paracetamol despite having licenses, yet no stringent measures have been taken to resolve such crises on a permanent basis.
The prices of medicines are already very high and earning profits through such unfair means creates more miseries and puts more burdens on the household budget of a common man.
There is a need to keep a check on prices of medicines. It is necessary that the prices are not increased against the prescribed rates. Several curable and incurable diseases are widespread in a developing country such as Pakistan where budget for health hardly crosses the threshold of three percent. Hence, the lack of attention leads not only to soaring prices and inadequate health facilities but also brain drain of qualified pharmacists and doctors who settle down in developed countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia.
The Pharmaceutical industry’s greed is already killing citizens and that need to be controlled on a war footing. This will end up creating a health care crisis in which many families will not be able to afford to get the medicine they need.
