WE are about to face some hard times in the next 19 months or so. The current spurt of prices in baked goods, flour, fish, meat, fruit, pulses, vegetables and medicines has already made them out of reach for a majority of us.

If fair price shops are the solution, then something must be done fast to set them up in rural and urban areas of the country, preferably before Ramazan starts.

Healthcare has become very ‘extravagant’. Many people are buying medicines in bulk and self-medicating – i.e. they think they are saving money but they are only making things worse for themselves.

All medicine sold over the counter should be stamped and sealed to maintain some checks and balances. This will also be a safety precaution against expired medicines being resold in the market. Drug inspectors have to be vigilant to ensure that spurious drugs do not flood the market to dupe the sick.

Physicians and surgeons are also requested, in special cases, to lower their meteoric charges for services till good days return.

Shafique Ahmed

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2019