ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday increased the prices of 146 life-saving medicines, inclu­ding antibiotics and insulin, an official of the health ministry told Dawn.

The decision was made after the ministry moved a summary, seeking a hike in the prices of 262 medicines, added the official, who wished not to be quoted.

While chairing the cabinet meeting, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar directed the officials to improve the performance of the Drug Reg­ulatory Authority of Pakis­tan (Drap) and accelerate the action against drug smugglers and hoarders.

He sought recommendations for necessary legislation regarding the deregulation of drug prices to be presented before parliament after the next government came to power.

Addressing the cabinet meeting, PM Kakar said the government was taking all possible steps to provide medicines at reasonable prices.

“We are framing policies that would benefit the common man and also help develop the pharmaceutical industry,” he added.

The ministry and Drap officials informed the meeting that citizens could file complaints regarding the non-availability of medicines in the market through an online portal.

“Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies had stopped manufacturing the medicines, which resulted in their shortage,” the health ministry official said, assuring that the shortage will now be addressed within a few days.

The hike in drug prices was necessitated due to the “rising prices of raw material in the global market”.

Pharma companies have claimed that the production of medicines has become unviable due to the high production cost, which has surpassed the maximum retail price.

On the finance ministry’s recommendation, the cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Competition Commission of Pakistan and the State Administration of Market Regulation China. Under the MoU, the exchange of information and technical capacity would increase between the two countries.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the foreign ministry, allowed renowned Pakistani psychologist Muhammad Saleem Khan Tareen to receive the Member of the British Empire award from King Charles. He has been honoured for his services in the field of psychology.

The air chief marshal, Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, was allowed to receive the Gold Medal for Aeronautical Merit awarded by Italy in recognition of his services for the increased cooperation between the air forces of the two countries.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2024