Govt committed to control illegal price hike of medicines: Aamer Kiani

ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Aamer Mehmood Kiani on Sunday said that the government was committed to control the illegal price hike of medicines.

Addressing a press conference, Aamer Mehmood Kiani warned of strict action against the against the pharmaceutical companies who were violating the rules.

Drugs price was increased from fifteen to nineteen per cent because of dollar rise, the minister said and added that the drug policy was approved by the previous government on the directive of the Supreme Court.

Kiani said drug industry was worth of 1.3 trillion dollars and providing employment to millions of people in the country.

He said over two million health cards had been distributed among people enabling them to visit hospitals of their choice.

Terming health card scheme as a revolution, Aamer Kiani said free health treatment for the poor was the priority of government.

Earlier in the day, auring a countrywide action against unauthorised and illegal hike in prices of medicine, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had claimed to have seized stocks of 83 medicines and registered cases against 28 pharmaceutical companies.

According to the regulator’s spokesperson, it had took action against firms on overpricing in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Stocks of 226 medicines belonging to 59 pharma companies had been confiscated.

In Lahore alone, he had said, pharmaceutical companies’ medicines worth millions of rupees were seized.