Injured face difficulties amid shortage of tetanus injections in Karachi

Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) Senior Vice Chairman Abdul Samad Badhani on Monday said that some pharmacists were selling anti-tetanus injections at exorbitant prices amid shortage in Karachi.

In a statement, he said some profiteers were charging price for the anti-tetanus injection as high as nearly 10 times its actual price as the metropolis suffers from its acute shortage.

About a month and a half have passed since anti-tetanus injections, which are used to prevent wound infections, are out of stock at pharmacies and medical stores in Karachi as well as some other cities, including Lahore.

People, who get injured in accidents, are facing extreme difficulties as the anti-tetanus injection is not available in private clinics and hospitals. As per medical experts, the injection must be administered within 72 hours of the injury, as bacteria could enter the body through various wounds.

“Patients are facing problem due to the injection’s shortage,” Badhani said, apprising that the injection could not be manufactured because of non-availability of raw materials in the global market.

He said some chemists were selling the Rs50-55 injection of five millilitres at prices up to 10 ten times high.

However, the chemist association’s vice chairman assured that the problem of the tetanus injection’s manufacturing had been resolved as per the drug manufacturing companies and they would soon be available in the market.