Govt to restore old prices of medicines, vows Zafar Mirza

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza on Thursday vowed that the federal government will restore prices of medical to older rates.

Zafar Mirza, in his latest statement, said that the reduction in the prices of 395 medicines will generate revenue up to Rs8 billion to the national exchequer.

The special assistant admitted that prices of 464 medicines were increased while the hike was taken down to 75 per cent.

“Prices of the medicines should be reduced till January 2019,” he said.

Mirza said that the pharmaceutical companies had taken stay order from the court when the government moved to the court against the hike and won the case.

“Various medicines are still being sold on old rates,” Mirza added.

He, however, vowed to restore older prices of the medicines. The special assistant said, “Now, the medicines will arrive with new rates in the market. He added that the government is willing to resolve prices’ issues of medicines for a long period. He announced that a National Medical Policy with consultation of all stakeholders.

On May 3, the Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government had announced to withdraw nine per cent increase made in the prices of six hundred and twenty five medicines.

Announcement to this effect was made by Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza while addressing a news conference in the federal capital.

The special assistant pointed out that pharmaceutical companies also increased the prices of four hundred and sixty four medicines from seventy five to three hundred percent.

“We have convinced the pharma companies to increase the prices by only seventy five percent.”

Dr Mirza assured that the decisions regarding bringing down the prices of medicines will also be fully enforced.

He said the government will go as a petitioner in the drug courts against the companies not voluntarily reducing drug prices.

The extra costs will be recovered from the companies and submitted in FATA Disease Fund of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal in order to provide free treatment to poor patients who could not afford the cure.