PMA expresses concerns over shortage of medicines

KARACHI: An emergent meeting of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) was held at PMA House, Karachi, to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the country and the issue of medicine prices and their shortage.  

The meeting was presided over through a video link by Dr Salma Aslam Kundi, President, PMA (Centre). The meeting was attended by Dr S.M Qaisar Sajjad, Secretary-General, PMA (Centre), Dr Qazi Wasiq, Treasurer, PMA (Centre), Dr Syed Tipu Sultan, Former President, PMA (Centre), Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, Ex-President PMA, Sindh, Dr Sonia Naqvi, President, PMA, Karachi, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, General Secretary, PMA, Karachi, Dr Hamid Manzoor and other senior members of PMA.  

The meeting expressed its concern over the continuous increasing positivity ratio of COVID-19 throughout Pakistan. Although the positivity ratio in Karachi has decreased, it's still higher. This is all due to the negligence of people and the government in adopting preventive measures.  

PMA enthusiastically welcomed international cricket and players in Pakistan. It would absolutely boost Pakistan's soft image and provide immense leisure to cricket lovers, but unfortunately, the situation being observed during on gong PSL at National Stadium Karachi was horrifying. Nobody is seen adopting SOPs. Spectators at the stadium are seen without masks and without maintaining social distance. This could worsen the COVID-19 situation, and the consequences could lead to the postponement of PSL like the past year.  

PMA requested Pakistan Cricket Board to implement SOPs during the tournament strictly. Due to the worsening situation of COVID-19, they requested the government to implement SOPs strictly everywhere in the country. They also requested the public to adopt preventive measures, wear masks whenever you go out, keep social distance, wash or sanitise hands with proper intervals. They further urged people to avoid shaking hands and hugging and avoid going out unnecessarily.   

The meeting also vented its apprehension over the shortage of medicine and its price hike in the country. Unfortunately, the present government had increased drug prices eleven times during its tenure. In such conditions, when health facilities are scarce at public hospitals, this increment of medicine prices adds to the people's miseries. As per them, in this situation, there was news of a shortage of antipyretic medicine, and the media was reporting the issue with the brand name of this medicine which would affect its price. Sellers would hoard their stock and sell it in black. Subsequently, they requested media always to use generic names instead of a brand names while reporting such issues. 

Additionally, they suggested that there are many other brands available in the market with the generic name of Paracetamol that could be used to reduce fever so they could buy any of these.  

PMA also demanded the government to make sure the availability of all necessary medicine in the market at their fixed prices.