Pakistan to subsidise Paracetamol, Panadol as price hike causes shortage amid huge demand

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to provide subsidies to the producers of Panadol and Paracetamol to make over-the-counter medicine affordable for the masses in wake of outbreaks of diseases after severe flooding.

Report of the state broadcaster said the premier chaired a virtual meeting with authorities concerned to review the pace of various flood relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas.

The sharif-led federal government announced subsidy on paracetamol as the pharma company stopped production of both drugs, a move that created a shortage of widely used medicine.

Drug manufacturers maintained that the production was no longer financially viable after DRAP issued a summary to the health ministry requesting an increase in generic medicine.

Paracetamol is among the top-selling medicines, with demand for the drug being the highest in wake of rising cases of mosquito-borne diseases, especially dengue fever and malaria, as cash strapped country struggles with the effects of the devastating floods.

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Earlier this month, Sindh Health Department confiscated 48 million hoarded Panadol tablets during a massive raid. The seized tablets were being hoarded to sell at expensive rates in the market.