Social workers and patients of hepatitis have asked the concerned quarters to take serious measures to curb the spread of killer diseases in the country. They demanded concrete steps to reduce prices of the medicines, especially life-saving drugs which are no more affordable for the common man. Workers of different social sector organizations and patients of hepatitis B and C raised these demands while holding a demonstration in front of National Press Club here against expected artificial increase of prices of some costly drugs. Over ten per cent population is suffering from hepatitis just because of the re-use of disposable syringes, unscreened blood transfusion and contaminated equipment in medical facilities, they said. They alleged that some multinational companies are exploiting the situation by selling drugs on exorbitant prices while barring entry of affordable medicine in the market.
These multinational companies are also delaying local research aimed at finding cheap local alternatives, they added. The protestors said that cost of the most widely prescribed hepatitis medicine is not more than Rs 3000. However single dose of the pre-filled syringe is being sold at Rs 13000.
The health practitioners who prescribe the medicine get Rs 6500 as commission while rest of the money is distributed among importers, health officials, distributors and retailers, they informed.
