KARACHI: Economic and financial analyst Ateeq ur Rahman has said shortage of medicines or their rising cost is like adding salt to injury, thus affecting the health sector as a whole. People or patients, those who are used to regular dosage of medicines for their struggle of life to survive, need an easy access to medicines.

In these inflationary conditions if the essential medicines get expensive by the day or become impossible to reach, whatever may be the reason, is not a good situation.

Less storage capacities, unavailability of raw material due to restrictions on opening of letter of credit or devaluation of currency, etc are big hurdles in the production of pharmaceutical goods, thus creating paucity and raising the cost of medicines.

This is unbearable by majority of population, most of them are either poor or deprived or middle class to afford such increase in prices.

The government and authorities should urgently look into this severe problem and address the hindrance and production at the earliest, eventually improving the supply line and reducing the cost of medicines.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022