Karachi faces severe shortage of life-saving drugs

KARACHI: Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is facing a severe shortage of essential medicines, including life-saving drugs, causing stress for patients and citizens, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Sources told ARY News that Karachi is severely affected by shortage of key medicines, including vaccines, insulin for diabetes management, epilepsy drugs and several other products.

Additionally, medicines for blood pressure control and other life-saving drugs are being sold at exorbitant prices in the black market. The shortage is causing serious problems for patients and citizens.

Last month, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) launched crackdown against artificial shortage of life-saving medicines. However, despite the action, illegal sale of essential medicines continued.

Meanwhile, the health authorities started registration process of new life-saving drugs and also expedited efforts to implement the plan for bringing other medicines back to the pharmacies.

Sources told ARY News that an alternative drug of another medicine containing rare formula was being registered. The DRAP sources said that out-of-turn drug registration facility is being given to the companies.