The Professional Pharmacists Association of Sudan say that the meteoric rise in the price of essential medicines has created a ‘catastrophic’ situation where “some remedies now cost more than the minimum wage”.
The association said in a statement at the weekend that prices for antibiotics, paediatric medicines, and chronic medication for diabetics have become unaffordable. For example, Piramal, which is used as chronic treatment for diabetics, now costs SDG725 for a month’s supply.
The association points out that those most effected are the low income patients, highlighting that foreign currency shortages, inflation, and government policies have “caused a hindrance in health care due to the interruption of the medicine supply, which has led to shortages and high prices.
Made in Sudan
Local manufacturing covers 30 per cent of Sudan’s need for medicine, however, 20 per cent of the Sudanese pharmaceutical industry is losing money because of the import of raw materials in foreign currency that had to be bought on the parallel market, the increased costs of production due to the lack of electricity and the use of expensive diesel they are forced to buy from private dealers, along with the increase in salaries in the country.
Source : Dabanga
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