TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 14: Medicine manufacturing companies have increased the prices of drugs from 20 to 100 per cent with immediate effect, Dawn has learnt.

Local pharmacists told this correspondent on Sunday the sudden raise in medicine prices had erupted arguments between customers and pharmacy owners. The new rates of Merck's Evion (100 capsules) is Rs440 instead of Rs260; Aventis's Haemaccel Rs315 instead of Rs275; Nabi Qasim's Clean Enema Rs32.35 instead of Rs25.17; Novartis's Syntocinnon injection (50 pieces) Rs375 instead of Rs249.51; Abbott's Becefol (25 tablets) Rs65 instead of Rs56; Glaxo SmithKline's Augmentin (6 tablets of 375 mg) Rs75 instead of Rs63.36; Getz's Nysa (20 tablets, 20 mg each) Rs175 instead of Rs144; Brooks (20 capsule of 100 mg each) Rs290 instead of Rs255; Phlogin gel Rs85 instead of Rs72, and Oxoferin Solution Rs280 instead of Rs240. Medical stores owners also stated that manufacturers of surgical items had also increased the prices of their products from 40 to 45 per cent.

They said Unani medicine companies and Hamdard had also increased the prices of their products.

Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association officials have condemned the medicine manufacturing companies for raising the prices. Association president Chaudhry Anwar Gujjar said the government did not control the prices of medicines and manufacturers had a free hand to increase the prices at will. He said in India the medicines were available at cheaper rates.

CHALLAN: Kamalia Deputy District Officer (health) Dr Azam Athar Gill challaned 13 medical stores for keeping expired medicines and stained syringes in their shops. The challans have been sent to the Faisalabad drug court for hearing.

PADDY, TROLLEY LOOTED: Four robbers looted a tractor-trolley loaded with paddy on Saturday night near Pirmahal. Driver Rana Akhtar was on his way to Kamalia carrying paddy to a rice mill in Kamalia from Chak 688/28 GB. When he arrived at a deserted place, four kilometers from Pirmahal, the robbers stopped him on gunpoint and took away his vehicle and 200 bags of paddy. They tied the driver with ropes and threw him into a field on roadside.