Indian medicines yetto reach Pak shelves

ISLAMABAD—Indian medicines could not make it to Pakistani markets despite for formal import-notification by Pakistan.
The imports of Indian drugs were notified on 23rd of June 2005 to relieve the masses of high health costs but to no avail.
Following the visits of a number of delegations of Indian drug manufacturers And meeting with top government functionaries, nothing concrete could be achieved.Following the tests Pakistan found out that a number of Indian drugs, especially anti venom (secreted by certain snakes and poisonous insects like spiders and scorpions), anti rabies (usually transmitted by the
bite of a rabid animal), anti hepatitis (Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or a toxin) vaccines etc were not only of better quality but also cost effective.
"On 23rd of June the Commerce Ministry formally allowed the imports of Indian medicines despite hue and cry from the local pharmaceutical industry which thought it against their interests," officials said.
We had no other option as the local pharma industries as well as importers were not ready to slash their profits in the interest of poor masses and were bent upon making fortunes, they added.
Four and a half months have been passed following the notification but not a single Indian drug could be imported due to some reasons, they lamented.
When contacted, the officials in the federal health ministry confirmed that not a single drug have been registered till day. But, they would not give any reason for the delay in the registration of drugs.
There was some resistance noticed to the Indian drugs on the part of whole sellers and retailers who said that they would not sale it but some said that they are only concerned with profits and if doctors prescribe the medicines and customers demand it, they would be left with no option but to make Indian drugs available to them.—INP