PPMA demands emergency fiscal measures for continuous raw material import to avert nationwide shortage of essential drugs.

KARACHI -- The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (PPMA) has earnestly appealed to the government to adopt emergency fiscal measures for the immediate resumption of import of the raw material used in the production of medicines and essential medical equipment for the uninterrupted treatment of patients in the country including those who require lifesaving interventions.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, PPMA Central Chairman, Syed Farooq Bukhari, accompanied by other office-bearers of his association, said the prevailing foreign exchange crisis had badly hit the production of medicines in the country. He said the drug producers had run out of the compulsory resources required for the indigenous production of essential medicines in the country.

He said the government should treat drug manufacturers as an essential industry whose raw material should remain available throughout the year without its import being hampered due to the unavailability of dollars with the banks.

Mr. Bukhari said that drug makers should continue with their production even during wartime as like any other essential service or industry.

He told media persons that the drug manufacturers despite facing unnecessary price regulations had been efficiently fulfilling up to 95 per cent of the medicines required in the country. The PPMA Chairman said that around 770 drug producers in the country had been facing a serious crisis as they didn't get essential imports of raw and...