Panadol shortage

Pakistan is facing a shortage of widely used over-the-counter (OTC) drug panadol as the country is facing outbreaks of dengue, typhoid and other viral fevers. This is not the first time that essential items or a drug has become shortage during the testing times in Pakistan. We have seen the example of it in recent floods after which the prices of edible items went sky-rocketing.

On Wednesday the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) carried out an operation and recovered over 250,000 hoarded Panadol tablets from the Kachi Gali area of Karachi.

A Health Ministry spokesperson said that the hoarding was done to cause an artificial shortage of Panadol in the country. The DRAP has recovered over 250,000 Panadol tablets in an operation in the medical market in the Kachi Gali area of Karachi, they added.

Meanwhile, another cause of the shortage of Panadol is being said that the company has stopped producing the tablet, following the rejection of the price hike. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association of Pakistan (PMA) says that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan had sent a summary to the health ministry recommending an increase of Rs. 1 per tablet, however, the federal cabinet rejected the summary.

As a result, the company – which produces 450 million tablets a month – has halted production. 

Pertinent to mention that the issue of Panadol shortage has been going on for several months. As per economic experts, the pharmaceutical industry was due for its regulatory price control checks and the increase in price was set to be approved in February. However, the vote of no confidence motion took place and the new government rejected the increase in price, leading to production difficulties for the company.

The government should act promptly to address the issue of shortage of Panadol in the country else the situation will become worse.