Survey in twin cities: Lockdown not interrupted supplies to pharmacies except anti-malarial drug

The nationwide lockdown imposed by the government following outbreak of coronavirus has not interrupted supply of general medicine to pharmacies except anti-malarial drug, - chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), causing problems for many patients, forcing them to run from one pharmacy to another in search of alternate medications.

A survey of various pharmacies in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi revealed that there is acute shortage of anti-malarial or coronavirus-related drug, chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine in the medical stores.

However, no shortage of general medicine has been witnessed in the medical stores.

Following US President Donald Trump's claim that an anti-malarial drug could be used for the treatment for the Covid-19, the HCQ drug vanished from the pharmacies either due to short supply by the manufactures or people purchased these medicine in bulk, said a number of people related to the pharmaceutical business, while talking to the Business Recorder.

"The lockdown imposed following spread of coronavirus in the country has not interrupted supplies of all kinds of medicine to pharmacies therefore there is no shortage of general medicine in the medical stores except anti-malarial or coronavirus-related drugs," said Dr Zeeshan a manager at a reputed pharmacy.

A manager at another pharmacy said that either the drug was not being supplied by pharmaceutical companies or was being supplied in very limited quantities, which resulted in shortage and rise in prices.

Following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, medical stores are also facing shortage of surgical masks, gloves and sanitizers, he said.

"We are out of stock for anti-malarial drugs for over two weeks now," said Muhammad Rehan, a salesman at a pharmacy in Blue Area.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has also issued a notification, banning the sale of chloroquine medicine without a prescription. It also directed that these medicines be sold only by licensed pharmacies and drug stores. The drug stores have been instructed to keep records of all prescriptions as well.

Meanwhile, the government has imposed a ban on export of all kinds of anti-malaria drugs to stockpile them in case of their possible use to treat the Covid-19 patients.

The ban that has been imposed with immediate effect will remain in place until further decision of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on the Covid-19, according to SRO297 of 2020 issued here by Commerce Ministry on Friday (April 10).

The demand for export of anti-malaria drugs especially hydroxychloroquine gained importance after US President Donald Trump claimed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the use of "very powerful" drug chloroquine to treat the Covid-19.

There are reportedly approximately 20 companies, which are manufacturing anti-malaria drugs. As per the DRAP record, there are around 25 million tablets and around 9,000 kilograms of raw material available in the market to produce drugs.