Pakistan’s healthcare system is teetering on the edge of collapse as an alarming number of essential, life-saving drugs have disappeared from shelves nationwide. From Lahore to Karachi, patients struggling with serious conditions are caught in a desperate search for medications that are either critically scarce or completely unavailable. Over 50% of the essential medicines listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) are no longer accessible in the country, pushing the healthcare crisis to unprecedented levels.
For those suffering from chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer, this shortage is not just an inconvenience—it’s a matter of life and death. Vulnerable patients are now resorting to unreliable, often dangerous, sources, risking their lives by purchasing counterfeit or substandard drugs in a black market driven by desperation.
The causes behind this alarming situation are complex and rooted in the country’s broader economic troubles. The financial instability gripping Pakistan, combined with rampant inflation and the rapid devaluation of the rupee, has significantly increased production costs for pharmaceutical companies. In many cases, the cost of manufacturing certain drugs now exceeds their regulated retail price, making it unfeasible for local manufacturers to continue production. As a result, the supply of essential medicines is unable to meet growing demand, leading to hoarding, shortages, and an inflated black market where drugs are sold at exorbitant prices.
Beneath this crisis lies a deeper conflict between corporate profit motives and the healthcare needs of millions of Pakistanis. Pharmaceutical companies argue that without higher prices to cover rising production costs, they cannot remain in business. However, prioritizing profits over public health has left patients paying the ultimate price. The lack of essential drugs has laid bare a broken system where public health is jeopardized by unchecked corporate influence and ineffective government regulation.
The government must act immediately to address this crisis. The establishment of an emergency healthcare fund, specifically for the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, is critical. However, this is only a short-term fix. The real, long-term solution lies in balancing the needs of the pharmaceutical industry with the moral responsibility of ensuring that medicines remain accessible and affordable for all citizens. The government must revisit and enforce a stronger, more comprehensive Drug Pricing Policy, building on the framework of the 2018 policy, to regulate drug prices and ensure fair market practices.
Additionally, stricter oversight is required to curb the power of pharmaceutical lobbyists from dictating public health policy. Pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable to ensure that their profit margins do not come at the cost of the well-being of millions of Pakistanis. Only through coordinated government action, fair regulation, and ethical corporate practices can Pakistan hope to stabilize its healthcare system and prevent further loss of life due to a lack of essential medicines.
The collapse of Pakistan’s healthcare infrastructure is a humanitarian crisis in the making, and without immediate intervention, the country risks deepening an already catastrophic situation where the lives of its most vulnerable citizens hang in the balance.
Shafaqna Pakistan
pakistan.shafaqna.com
Note: Shafaqna do not endorse the views expressed in the article