Drug Shortage, Looming Job Cuts: Pak Hospitals Hit Hard By Economic Crisis
NDTV
Doctors are forced to not perform surgeries due to the shortage of drugs and medical equipment.
The ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan has badly hit the healthcare system where patients have been struggling for essential medicines. The lack of forex reserves in the country has affected Pakistan's capacity to import the required medicines or the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) used in domestic production.
As a result, local pharmaceutical manufacturers have been forced to slash their production as patients suffer in hospitals. Doctors are forced to not perform surgeries due to the shortage of drugs and medical equipment.
As per Pakistan media reports, the operation theatres are left with less than the two-week stock of anaesthetics needed for sensitive surgeries, including for heart, cancer and kidney. The situation might also result in job losses in hospitals in Pakistan, further increasing the miseries of people.
The drug makers have blamed the financial system for the crisis in the healthcare system by claiming that commercial banks are not issuing new Letters of Credit (LCs) for their imports.
