LAHORE: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) reviewed COVID situation in the country and the issue of medicine prices and their shortage.
In this regard, an emergent meeting of PMA was held on Monday which was presided over through video link by Dr Salma Aslam Kundi, President PMA Centre. Besides, Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad, Secretary General PMA Centre, Dr Qazi Wasiq, Treasurer PMA Centre, Dr Syed Tipu Sultan, former President PMA Centre, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, Dr Sonia Naqvi, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Dr Hamid Manzoor and other senior members of PMA attended the meeting.
The meeting expressed its concern over the incessant increasing positivity ratio of COVID-19 throughout Pakistan. PMA enthusiastically welcomes the international cricket and players in Pakistan but unfortunately the situation being observed during ongoing PSL is contrary to SOPs.
Due to the worsening situation of COVID-19, PMA requests government to implement SOPs strictly everywhere in the country. We also request public to adopt preventive measures, wear mask whenever you go out, keep social distance, wash or sanitize your hands with proper intervals, avoid shaking hands and hugging and avoid going out unnecessarily.
The meeting also expressed its concern over the shortage of medicine and its price hike in the country. Unfortunately the present government has increased the drug prices 11 times during its tenure so far. In such conditions when there is scarcity of health facilities at public hospitals, this increase in medicine prices is adding to the miseries of the people. In this situation there is news of shortage of an antipyretic medicine. The sellers hoarded their stocks and were selling it in black at higher prices.
PMA requested media to always use generic name instead of brand name, while reporting such issues. PMA suggested to the people that there are many other brands available in the market with the generic name of Paracetamol that can be used to reduce fever so they can buy from amongst them. PMA also demanded the government to make sure the availability of all necessary medicine in the market at their fixed prices.