Health Minister rejects DRAP's summary to hike medicine prices

The Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel on Tuesday rejected the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s (DRAP) summary to increase the prices of 10 medicine, ARY News reported. 

The Pakistan People’s Party leader said that he cannot burden the poor people with further price hikes. ‘I am a political worker, serving the poor is my ultimate duty, ‘ said Abdul Qadir Patel.

DRAP has moved a summary to the health ministry advising to increase the price of 10 medicine. The Health Minister rejected the summary on Tuesday.

The Health Minister added that they are cracking down on people selling counterfeit or fake medicine.

This is not the first time the PPP leader has rejected DRAP’s summary to increase the price of medicine. Earlier in August, the health minister rejected a similar summary by DRAP.

According to the spokesperson for the health ministry, the DRAP had forwarded a summary, seeking an increase in the prices of more than 40 medicines, which was rejected by the Health Minister saying the government is committed to providing relief to the masses.

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Earlier, DRAP approved increasing the price of paracetamol used to treat fever, fixing the rate up to Rs2.67 per tablet.