ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulation and Coordination on Thursday urged the Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to formulate a mechanism to reduce the drugs prices in order to serve the poor.
The committee meeting which was chaired by Senator Muhammad Attique Sheikh observed that medicines are being heavily charged from the patients in the public and private hospitals.
The chairman said that this issue will be addressed to stop suffering from poor patients who are unable to afford medicines of high prices.
He said that patients have to purchase medicine of having company price of Rs 30 in Rs 320 which is unbearable.
He said that efforts will be made to reduce the drugs prices. Many patients even cannot afford to purchase medicines and accepted that all stakeholders are fully responsible of not taking interest to resolve this public issue, he added.
He said that DRAP’s plan of fixing the prices of medicines was helping the owners of medical stores while there is no any advantage for patients. He stressed the need to improve the situation and start helping deserving patients.
The meeting decided to hold meetings with the officials of DRAP to manage the situation and reduce the prices of drugs. The DRAP has been directed to share details with the committee in its next meeting.
