He Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Saturday warned that a severe and unprecedented shortage of essential and life-saving medicines has gripped Pakistan, putting the lives of millions of patients at serious risk.
According to a report, the PMA expressed deep concern over the alarming scarcity of critical medicines across the country. At least 79 vital drugs are currently unavailable in the market, with no substitutes available for 25 of them.

These include medications used to treat chronic and life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart diseases, and various psychiatric disorders. “This is not a minor issue — it’s a full-blown crisis,” the PMA stated in its official release. “We urge the government to take immediate and decisive action to address this catastrophic situation, which poses a deadly threat to patients suffering from chronic illnesses.”

The statement highlighted that patients are rapidly deteriorating due to the lack of access to essential medication. For instance, the unavailability of long-acting insulin injections is making it difficult for diabetic patients to control their blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of kidney failure, blindness, and amputations.

Similarly, transplant patients are vulnerable to dangerous fungal infections due to the absence of a crucial antifungal drug. One of the major reasons behind the shortage, the PMA said, is the unchecked rise of the black market. “Illegal markets are thriving nationwide, pushing up the prices of vital medicines beyond the reach of most families.

A single vial of insulin, for example, now costs over three times its original price in the black market,” the statement revealed. The PMA urged the government to launch a nationwide crackdown against these criminal networks and profiteers, and to take strict legal action against those responsible.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)