Chairman Organizing Committee Dr Kaisar Waheed revealed that mental diseases have rapidly been surging in Pakistan and currently stood at 30 per cent.
“The main reason of surg in mental diseases is non-availability of medicines in the Pakistani market due to its black-marketing besides manufacturing of fake and sub-standard medicines,” he expressed these views in concluding session of 7th Pharma Export Summit and Award 2024 here.
Coming also hard on ministry of Narcotics, he said the ministry was also creating undue hurdles in manufacturing of the medicines to cure the mental diseases.
He demanded of government to interfere into the matter and addresss this genuine issue of pharma industry so quality medicines could be provided to the patients at affordable rates.
Chairman Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) Mian Khalid Misbahur Rehman said 90 per cent country`s medicines need was being fulfilled through local production. The pharma industry was providing quality medicines to the people at affordable prices, he added.
He said that they wanted to enhance the medicine exports to $3 billion over the next five years. However, he was of the views that it was not possible with the support of the government and not taking on board the relevant stakeholders in policy making decision regarding export of medicines to other countries.
Former Chairman PPMA Haroon Qasim said that medicines prices in Pakistan were lowest in the region despite host of problems being faced by the pharma industry.
Despite confronting to various issues, the pharma industry was not only continuously growing but also earned precious foreign reserves, he remarked.
CEO Hevolution Foundation Saudi Arabia, Dr Mehmood Jan stressed the need to invest more and more in the medicines research. He also highlighted problems confronted to the pharma industry.
Later, Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani distributed awards among the 50 pharmaceutical companies for showing excellence in drug production in Pakistan.
