Government continues to lash masses through unethical hikes

Lahore:  Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination has approved eighteen per cent hike in prices of thousands of drugs.

The decision was taken in the meeting of the Drug Pricing Committee chaired by Secretary Health Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, which was attended by stakeholders including CEO of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.

The decision has been sent to the provinces for consent; Sindh and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa have agreed with the decision while Balochistan and Punjab want fifteen per cent hike, insiders said.

Mian Aftab, President of the Health Watch said that decision has been taken in the interest of pharma industry despite massive hue and cry by the masses.

He said that there are 65000 registered drugs in Pakistan which are being sold at exorbitant rates as compared to other Saarc nations.

Now medicines will go out of the range of poor except few lifesaving medicines which have been kept in the negative list, he added.

It may be mentioned that a few days back Pakistan Pharmaceutical Medical Association has asked its members to hike prices without approval of the regulator which was unjustified and illegal, he claimed.

Mian Aftab has filed written applications in Ministry of Health, Commerce and with the Competition Commission of Pakistan against the pharma industry asking them to ensure transparency and penalising those who are involved in collusion and other corrupt business practices.

He said that notification of the hike in prices is a matter of days which will be unfortunate for masses reeling under massive inflation, uncertainty and unemployment.