Govt is under pressure to take urgent measures to address this life-threatening situation

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan grapples with soaring inflation, which has burdened citizens with escalating electricity bills, another dire crisis is unfolding across the nation. A significant portion of the population is now facing a healthcare emergency, as the cost of medicines skyrockets and essential drugs become alarmingly scarce.

According to a report in 'Dawn', dozens of non-essential medicines are currently unavailable in pharmacies throughout Pakistan. This severe deficiency is not only causing considerable distress among patients but also posing life-threatening challenges. A government official, speaking to a media organisation, confirmed the critical shortage of essential medications, including organic products, cancer treatment immunoglobulin, diabetes management insulin, and numerous other vital pharmaceuticals.

Sources have revealed that the scarcity is not confined to essential drugs alone; numerous non-essential medications are also missing from pharmacy shelves. Manufacturers have ceased the import of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or raw materials required for drug production. The abrupt halt in imports is being attributed to the relentless devaluation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar.

The Escalating value of the US dollar has prompted importers to suspend the importation of both finished pharmaceutical products and the necessary raw materials. Consequently, the market has been inundated with smuggled and counterfeit medications, making their way into the country from neighboring nations such as Afghanistan, Iran, and India.

A Distressing aspect of this situation is that many essential drugs are highly sensitive to temperature variations, yet they are being smuggled into Pakistan in ordinary trucks without adequate cold chain management. This poses additional risks to the quality and efficacy of these crucial medications.