PHARMACEUTICAL companies recommend that a certain temperature should be maintained while supplying drugs to medical stores for efficacy.

Some drugs are needed to be stored below 27 degree centigrade or they lose their efficacy. Direct sunlight, heat and moisture also affect drugs’ efficacy.

In Pakistan, 70 per cent area is experiencing hot weather.

However, suppliers do not carry drugs in air-conditioned vehicles while temperature in some cities is about 50 degree centigrade. On the other hand, things get worse as most of the medical stores do not have cold storage facilities. They cannot protect medicines from direct sunlight and hot weather. This makes drugs ineffective.

Patients die when ineffective vaccines such as anti-rabies or anti-snake venoms lose their efficacy.

The health department, the pharmaceutical industry and drug suppliers should take steps to ensure medicines are supplied to the medical stores while maintaining the required temperature throughout the country.

DR ABDUL QADEER MEMON Naushero Feroze