• Login
  • Home
  • Pakistan
  • International News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Pakistan
  • International News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Times of Pakistan
No Result
View All Result
Home Pakistan Sindh

Shortage of Folic Acid Drugs Endangers Health of Newborns

ToP by ToP
June 11, 2015
in Sindh
0
Health of Newborns

Shortage of Folic Acid Drugs Endangers Health of Newborns

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

City markets have been facing an acute shortage of the low-cost folic acid drugs for the past two months, a situation that could potentially endanger health of newborns, it emerged on Wednesday. 

[contentblock id=1 img=adsense.png]

Among other health benefits, according to experts, folic acid (a type of B vitamin), is particularly important in women of childbearing age as its deficiency during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

Health of Newborns
Shortage of Folic Acid Drugs Endangers Health of Newborns

Conversations with representatives of the city’s major pharmacies showed that the folic acid tablet, normally priced Rs30 for a 100-tablet bottle, is now being sold at Rs100 for 100 tablets in black market. The imported versions of the medicine are much costlier naturally. “The low-cost drug has disappeared from the market because its raw material being imported from China is no longer available,” said Dr Iqbal Soomro, former chairman of the Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association now running his business at Katchi Galli, a wholesale market near Denso Hall. According to him, the production of drugs combining folic acid with other vitamins would also be affected due to the absence of raw material. “The raw material is inexpensive if imported from China, but if you import it from other countries, the product cost would increase, making it unaffordable for the poor,” he said, adding that with the low-cost folic acid medicine, some medicines for treating diarrhoea, pain, cough, thyroid disorders and migraine are also in short supply. No present member of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) and the provincial chief drug inspector were available for comments. 

[contentblock id=2 img=gcb.png]

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a former member of the PPMA said that the low-cost folic acid drug was among the “orphan drugs” that were priced ridiculously low by the government. “On government insistence, some companies were producing these medicines but for how long one could bear persistent losses,” he said. “I am on dialysis myself and require folic acid medicines that I acquire from Canada, where I have some relatives. But what about the poor? How would they survive?” he said. Secretary general of the Pakistan Chemists and Drug Association M. Asim Jameel endorsed the pricing factor and said the government should rationalise the prices of low-cost medicines. 

Read More: Nine Babies die in Karachi hospital

“While the government is bent on keeping prices of certain medicines being manufactured by local manufacturers too low, it has no control over the prices of medicines being produced by multinational companies. This dichotomy is a major factor that has led to the present situation,” he said. The federal drug regulatory authority, he said, was incapable of doing its job properly. “Right now, there are 14,000 pending requests for registration of medicines.

[contentblock id=3 img=adsense.png]

People are being discouraged from importing drugs through proper channels while on the other hand the government agencies are raiding premises selling non-registered medicines,” he said.  Senior gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Shershah Syed said the deficiency of folic acid could cause neural tube defect in newborns and make anaemic pregnant women vulnerable to a host of health issues. “In developed countries, such important medicines are provided free of cost because these nations realise that the consequences of having folic acid deficiency in pregnant women are too grave. So, instead of burdening the health budget and having people with birth defects, it’s better to provide the medicine free to mothers,” he said. Seconding his opinion, Prof Nizamul Hasan of the Child Aid Association said that deficiency of folic acid caused anaemia in pregnant women as well as a malformation of brain in babies due to accumulation of fluid. “This condition can be associated with malformation of spinal cord known as Meningocele, which in severe cases cause paralysis of lower limbs and loss of control over urine and feces. Both malformations need repeated surgeries. The later means life in wheelchair.”

Tags: Health of Newbornslatest newspakistan newspakistan timesShortage of Folic Acid Drugs
Previous Post

IHC Suspends PEMRA Chairman’s Reinstatement

Next Post

Five killed at North Waziristan Checkpost

ToP

ToP

Related Posts

PM orders early completion of Karachi uplift projects
Sindh

PM orders early completion of Karachi uplift projects

by Top
August 11, 2021
Sindh Announces to keep Educational Institutes closed till Aug 19
Sindh

Sindh Announces to keep Educational Institutes closed till Aug 19

by Top
August 17, 2021
Former president Mamnoon Hussain passes away in Karachi
Sindh

Former president Mamnoon Hussain passes away in Karachi

by Top
July 15, 2021
Sindh to review coronavirus restrictions on June 4
Business

Sindh to review coronavirus restrictions on June 4

by Top
August 17, 2021
SC issues Notice to Sindh Govt in Daniel Pearl Case
Sindh

SC issues Notice to Sindh Govt in Daniel Pearl Case

by Top
July 1, 2021
Peace in Sindh is the common goal, says Rashid
Pakistan

Peace in Sindh is the common goal, says Rashid

by Top
July 1, 2021
100k citizens fail to return for second jabs in Sindh
Sindh

100k citizens fail to return for second jabs in Sindh

by Top
July 1, 2021
Next Post
checkpost attack

Five killed at North Waziristan Checkpost

Popular Stories

  • Opposition’s Haste for no Trust Move to Save Looted Wealth: PM Imran

    Supreme Court bars govt from initiating action against Imran Khan

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Petrol, and diesel in Pakistan still cheaper than UK, BD, India, UAE

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ertugrul’s Statue bearing Resemblance to Engin Altan Removed in Turkey

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Asad Umar welcomes PM Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for talks on fresh elections

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Suffering Soul in the Scientific Age

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Times of Pakistan

About Times Of Pakistan

kralbetbetturkeyikimislibahis1xbetm.infohipas.infohttps://www.wiibet.com/restbetcdn.com

Other Categories

  • Beautiful Pakistan
  • Fashion News
  • Funny News
  • Viral Videos
  • Weird News

Recent Posts

  • Petrol, and diesel in Pakistan still cheaper than UK, BD, India, UAE
  • Foreign exchange: SBP reserves go down by $75mn in a week
  • Supreme Court bars govt from initiating action against Imran Khan

Times Of Pakistan © 2021. Design & Developed by E2E Solution Providers.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Pakistan
  • International News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In