Pakistan economic crisis worsens as hospitals run out of insulin, other medicines

By Team Newsable | First Published Feb 26, 2023, 6:32 PM IST

Pakistan economic crisis: Pakistan's ability to acquire the necessary medications or the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) used in domestic manufacturing has been hampered by the absence of foreign exchange reserves in the nation.

Patients have been battling to obtain necessary medications as a result of Pakistan's continuing economic crisis. Pakistan's ability to acquire the necessary medications or the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) used in domestic manufacturing has been hampered by the absence of foreign exchange reserves in the nation.

As a consequence, as patients suffer in hospitals, regional pharmaceutical producers have been compelled to reduce their output. Due to a lack of medications and medical supplies, doctors are unable to conduct operations.

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According to Pakistani media accounts, the operating rooms have less anaesthetics than the two-week supply required for delicate procedures like heart, cancer, and renal surgery. The situation might also result in job losses in hospitals in Pakistan, further increasing the miseries of people.

By saying that commercial banks are not giving new Letters of Credit (LCs) for their shipments, drug manufacturers have accused the financial system of being to blame for the crisis in the healthcare system.

Nearly 95% of the medicines produced in Pakistan require the purchase of basic materials from other countries, including China and India. Due to a lack of dollars in the financial system, the majority of medication makers have experienced delays receiving their imported materials at the port of Karachi.

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The cost of producing drugs, according to the pharmaceutical industry, is steadily growing as a result of rising shipping and gasoline expenses as well as the sharp depreciation of the Pakistani rupee.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) recently demanded that the government step in to stop the situation from becoming a catastrophe. The officials are still attempting to determine the extent of the shortage rather than taking quick action.

In order to ascertain the extent of the critical medication scarcity, government study teams reportedly visited pharmacies in Punjab, Pakistan. The retailers disclosed that the majority of their clients are being impacted by the shortage of a few common but crucial medications. Panadol, Insulin, Brufen, Disprin, Calpol, Tegral, Nimesulide, Hepamerz, Buscopan, Rivotril, and other medications are among them.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan government and the IMF staff concluded the ninth review of the USD 6.5 billion bailout package without a staff-level agreement.

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