Medicine shortage expected as SBP refuses to open LCs for drug ingredients

KARACHI: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is very concerned over the statement by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) that State Bank Pakistan (SBP) has verbally conveyed to all local banks not to open LCs for the import of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) due to shortage of dollars in the country.  

“If LCs are not opened soon, it may result in medicine shortages because most of the pharmaceutical companies have only two months’ raw material available with them and they are unable to place orders for future raw material.”  

Hon Secretary General, Pakistan Medical Association (Centre), Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said our health delivery system is already in shambles and shortage of medicines will take the situation from bad to worse. If suitable measures are not taken to avoid the shortage of medicine in the upcoming days, we are scared that the situation will lead to black marketing and smuggling and eventually the prices of the medicine will go beyond the reach of the poor people of Pakistan.    

PMA demanded the government to take appropriate measures immediately to avoid any ugly situation and save the lives of innocent people of Pakistan.