Chemists, traders reject 15pc hike in medicines’ prices

MULTAN: Doctors, traders and chemists have widely rejected 15 per cent hike in medicines’ prices.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) held a meeting and rejected increase in medicines’ prices. It said the recent increase was unacceptable which would largely affect the poor patients. PMA president Prof Dr Masoodur Rauf Haraj said that 15 per cent hike in medicines’ prices by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, with the consent of the federal government, was completely unjustified. He demanded a forensic audit of the medicine companies. He demanded the government for 100 per cent reduction in prices. PMA general secretary Dr Rana Khawar said that the government had determined to squeeze the masses rather giving them relief. “People were already complaining about the high prices and the government has further increased them which adds burden on the already-crushed public. Health facilities are already scarce at public hospitals and this increase will add to the miseries of people,” he lamented.PMA information secretary Dr Imran Rafiq said half of the country’s population was living below the poverty line and they cannot afford private medical treatment but the conditions at public hospitals were very poor. “It is the responsibility of the government to improve these facilities and provide free medicines to all patients at public hospitals,” he demanded.

Talking to this scribe, PCDA divisional president Akhtar Butt said that this increase in prices was unjustified and the government was promoting multinational companies. He said the PCDA had summoned its meeting to discuss a strategy against it. He said the government should consider some other ways to minimise the impact of the increased prices of medicines because of the rupee devaluation.

Butt said the government can support the pharmaceutical companies by reducing taxes and cut in import duties of the raw material for drugs manufacturing and packaging. Vaccines and raw material should be produced in the country. Fake, counterfeit drugs and medicines’ smuggling should be eliminated on a priority basis.

Meanwhile, Anjuman-e-Tajran Hussain Agahi staged a demonstration on Hussain Agahi Road against this price hike. Trader body president Sheikh Akram Hakim said that it had overburdened the poor people as the prices had gone beyond from their financial reach. He demanded the government to withdraw increase in the medicines’ prices.