Pakistan faces potential medicine shortages due to Middle East tensions: Report

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry could face a shortage of lifesaving drugs in coming weeks due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East even as medical treatment costs already remain unbearable for the majority, a new report has said.

Potential for disruptions in supply arose with rise in freight costs and fuel prices, while a health official on condition of anonymity, said most local manufacturers hold limited stocks of raw materials because of financial constraints and that any disruption in international supply chains could quickly translate into local shortages, according to the report from Dawn.

The health ministry official said that the administration is in contact with the pharmaceutical sector to assess stock levels and ensure that essential medicines remain available.

"The situation has also provided an opportunity for unscrupulous elements to black-market medicines," the report warned.

Regulators reassured the public that immediate shortages were unlikely, the report said, adding that pharmaceutical manufacturers foresee the cost of manufacturing rising if the conflict continues, leading to energy price hike and devaluation of the Pakistani rupee.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) said that domestic stocks were sufficient for about three months.

Pakistan heavily relies on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and other essential raw materials, a major portion of which is imported via Middle Eastern countries.

The report cited consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr Talal Khurshid, urging health authorities to take immediate notice of potential medication shortages in Pakistan due to the ongoing Middle East crisis, especially to ensure uninterrupted medical supplies' access to patients suffering from chronic diseases.

“For patients with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, medications are not optional—they are life-sustaining treatments,” he added.

Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manu­facturers Association (PPMA North) Chairman, Usman Shaukat, said the association and DRAP are working closely with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure alternative supply chains are established, preventing disruptions in material supplies.

—IANS

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