Patients are facing immense problems due to shortage of different medicines in local medicine markets as recent raise in prices is being termed as basic reason behind drugs shortage.
However, some medicines are available but patients have to pay more prices due to black-marketing. According to a survey conducted by APP, different medicines including Panadol (tab, syrup, drops), Lanoxin (medicine for heart issues), Folic Acid (for iron deficiency), Polyfax eye ointment, Cortisporin eye ointment, Motival tablets (tranquilizer), Kenacort Injection (anti-allergic), Migril tablets (for headache), Lomotil tablets, Gravinate (anti-vomiting), Avil tablet, injection (anti-allergy), Syntocinon injection (for delivery cases), Tegral tablets (mental issues), Trenalen tablets (anti-depression), Prolution depot (for maintenance of pregnancy) and some other routine medicines were found missing or present on enhanced rates.
Different patients namely Asghar, Shahad, Anwar, Sakeena Bibi and some others while talking to APP at Nishtar market expressed concerns over the non-availability of medicines. They further informed that Chemists were demanding exorbitant rates instead of printed prices.
Medicine market sources informed that some medicines were available at highly exorbitant prices. One pack of Motival tablets (tranquilizer) is being sold against Rs 800 or 900 instead of actual price of nearly Rs 200.
Similarly, actual price of folic acid is Rs 30 for 100 tablets but it is being sold against Rs 100 or 110. The medicine markets sources stated that there had always been artificial shortage of basic medicines whenever multinational companies wanted of enhance prices of medicines.
President Chemist Association Akhtar Butt also condemned artificial shortage of medicines and demanded the government to take action in this regard.