ISLAMABAD: After Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) failed to reduce medication prices, the federal ombudsman constituted a committee which has now begun devising afuture strategy.

The committee will recommend a drug policy which will ensure that essential medicines are available in Pakistan and their prices are not changed. Moreover, it may recommend including a topic on essential medicine in the medical curriculum.

In January, multinational companies sought a stay order from the Sindh High Court, and increased medicine prices by arguing that it was not viable for them to manufacture medication at the rate fixed by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap).The ministry did not initially act on the issue. Following criticism for its lack of action, the ministry began efforts to reduce prices, at which it was unsuccessful.

The matter was discussed in the mainstream media and eventually landed at the parliament floor.

Last month, Federal Ombudsman Salman Farugi took notice and constituted a 13-person committee headed by the former surgeon general retired Lt Gen Mahmood Ahmed Akhtar to look into matters related to the availability of essential drugs, having high standards in terms of efficacy, safety and quality at affordable rates.

Pakistan Medical and Dental Council president, Dr Shabbir Ahmad Lehri is also a member of the committee. He told Dawn that during committee meetings, the Pharma Bureau the representative body of multinational phar-maceuticals said they had to increase medicine prices because Drap was unwilling to listen to them. They argued that Drap officials were not willing to work to avoid controversy.

`Though it was justified to increase prices, we believed the companies increased prices more than the requirement,` Dr Lehri said.

`The National Essential Medicine List (NEML) needs to be made according to the country`s requirements and their prices should also be fixed,` he added.

The preparation of such a list in necessaryfora country tonote the bare minimum of medication needs for its healthcare system.

Dr Lehri said Pakistan should not follow NEMLs from Western countries, and should instead devise its own list.

`In the USA, anti-rabies, snake bite, tuberculosis, typhoid andmalaria medicines are not included in the NEML, but those medicines are considered essential medicines in Pakistan. In USA, there is the issue of the Zika virus, but our problem is dengue, he explained.

`We have to make a drug police on essential medicines regarding our issues, and ensure that affordable and quality medicines are available in the country,` he said.

He added that the committee is considering including a section on NEML in the pharmacology chapter of the medical curriculum.

`In the recent crisis some of the medicines have disappeared from the marl(et and then their prices were increased. It should be considered criminal negligence, and the available of medicine in stocks should be ensured.` Dr Lehri said the recommendations will be finalised within 45 days and will be submitted for implementation.