Life saving drugs scarce in Moulvibazar
A packet of Bardinal tablets sells at Tk 400-500 against Tk 24
An acute scarcity of some life saving drugs is prevailing in Moulvibazar markets, affecting treatment of patients.
Tablets and injections of Phenoberbiton, eye drops of Cloromphenicol and Vitamin-C tablet are in scarce. Some patients at different hospitals said they purchases the medicines at much higher prices.
Representatives of some medicine companies said production of the drugs has been curtailed due to rise in prices of their raw materials in local and international markets.
Patients and medicine store owners said smuggled Indian medicines of these groups are also being sold at higher prices.
According to doctors, tablets and injections of Phenoberbiton group are life saving drugs.
Sources said only two Bangladeshi companies--Jayson Pharmaceuticals and Gaco Pharmaceuticals produce medicines of Phenoberbiton group.
This correspondent during an investigation found that a pack of Bardinal (Phenoberbiton) tablets, manufactured by Gaco, is being sold at Tk 300 to Tk 500 against its price of Tk 24 only. The same medicine produced by Jayson under a different name is being sold at prices abound 50 times higher.
This correspondent talked to a number of medicine store owners in the town. They included Abdul Hannan Babu, owner of Jannat Medico; Azmal Ahmad Chaudhury, owner of Chaudhury Pharmacy; Subud Ranjan Deb, manager of Oushadh Bitan and Sanjit Pal, manager of Usha Pharma.
They alleged that the companies are not supplying Phenoberbiton group medicines.
SM Farhad Uddin, regional sales manager of Gaco in Sylhet, also said these medicines are not being supplied to its Sylhet depot from Dhaka head office though these are on the product list of the company.
Supply of Indian medicines is unpredictable as most of those coss the border illegally, medicine store owners said.
They said eye drop of Cloromphenicol group and Vitamin-C tablets are also scarce as medicine companies supply only one or two boxes in a week.
" Vitamin-C tablet is very essential for operation patients", said doctor Gopesh Chandra Das in the town.
Local representatives of pharmaceutical companies said due to abnormal price hike of raw materials of Cloromphenicol' and Vitamin-C tablets, these can not be produced as per needs.
This correspondent tried to contact Brigadier Abdul Matin, director of Drug Administration in Dhaka over phone. An employee who received the phone call said the drug administration has nothing to do if any company does not produce any particular medicine. He however said they can take action on written allegations if any medicine is sold at higher price in market.
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