VEHARI, Nov 29: Essential and life-saving drugs are being sold at exorbitant prices in Vehari and adjoining areas. Information collected by this correspondent suggested that drugs for treatment of heart ailments, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, stomach, skin and other serious diseases were not available in local markets.

Druggists and chemists said that medicines had either been withdrawn by stockiest or sent to wholesalers by them (stockiest).

A chemist said that various medicines manufactured by multinational companies were not available in local market.

However, he said some stockiest sold them at high prices and were earning huge profits.

He said consumers were forced to purchase substandard local medicines which were in no way alternative to life-saving medicines. Another retailer said that various multinationals wanted to increase the prices of their products and this was one of the reasons for shortage of medicines.

He claimed that the authorities concerned were not taking notice of the situation.

Names of some of medicines which were short in the market were Isordil tab, Penedeure inj, Thyroxin tab, Migril tab, Deltacartil tab, Largectil tab, Triametabol syrup, Polyfax eye ointment, Betnovate lotion, Caladryal lotion for skin. Some chemists were also selling some medicines at exorbitant prices.

When this correspondent contacted EDO (health) Dr Zulfiqar, he said he was not alive to the situation. He, however, said he would appoint officials to look into the situation and the department would take action against those involved in artificial shortage of medicines in the town.