Health minister says medicine stocks can meet demand for five to six months

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday that Pakistan has enough medicine stocks to meet demand for the next five to six months, adding that steps taken by the health ministry, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and the pharmaceutical industry had helped protect supplies.

Chairing a meeting to review the availability of medicines and the national supply chain, Kamal said, Despite ongoing international challenges, the health ministry and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), in close coordination with the pharmaceutical industry, have taken timely and effective measures to safeguard medicine supplies.

He said these proactive measures had ensured uninterrupted availability of medicines across the country. Pakistan currently holds sufficient medicine stocks to meet demand for the next five to six months, he noted.

The minister also sought to reassure the public over concerns linked to the conflict in the Middle East, saying there would be no shortage of medicines despite the prevailing global situation. He stated that the health ministry and Drap were keeping strict oversight to maintain continuous supply and that the government remained committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to essential healthcare services.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries as well as Drap Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah Malik. The meeting was aimed at reviewing and reinforcing a broad strategy to ensure medicines remain available across the country under all circumstances.

Participants also carried out a detailed review of helium gas availability for MRI machines, noting its importance for diagnostic services nationwide.

PPMA says industry absorbing rising costs

Separately, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) said the industry was absorbing the impact of changing energy and logistics costs instead of transferring the burden to the public.

PPMA Chairman North Usman Shaukat said, Even in the current rising economic cost environment, the pharmaceutical industry remains committed to providing quality medicines at affordable prices to the public.

He added, While energy and logistics costs are fluctuating rapidly during these times, the industry is absorbing the [economic] shocks and is not passing on any additional burden on the people.

Shaukat said the pharmaceutical sector would continue supplying life-saving and essential medicines even amid the current geopolitical crisis. He stated that the industry was maintaining sufficient stocks of raw materials and packaging inventory to keep medicine supplies uninterrupted.

He also said the health ministry and Drap were working closely to ensure supply chains were not disrupted, adding that the industry appreciated the government’s proactive approach to maintaining medicine availability for the public.

Last month, Drap had rejected reports of increases in the prices of essential medicines across the country, saying the rates had not undergone any upward revision.

The regulator had also said medicine supply in Pakistan remained unaffected by the conflict in the Middle East and related disruptions to sea routes because 85pc of medicines used in the country were manufactured locally.