ISLAMABAD: Condemning the government’s notification allowing an increase in prices of 94 lifesaving drugs, PPP leader and Senator Sherry Rehman pointed out that while other countries are making lifesaving drugs free for their citizens, our country’s government is busy playing politics over crucial matters.

She said: “Drugs whose prices have been allowed to increase include medicines such as furosemide injections for emergency use in high blood pressure, acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma, hydralazine tablets for lowering blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets and suspension for epilepsy. Atropine sulphate injection used in emergencies, magnesium sulphate used to treat seizures due to preeclampsia during pregnancy, hydroxyurea, daunorubicin, bleomycin – all used in the treatment of cancer, nitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate used as emergency heart medicines and rabies vaccine are also among the medicines.”

“The constant increase in price has forced patients to reduce drug dosage or discontinue treatment. The government has left them with no choice but to compromise their health,” she said.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2020