New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) Pakistan is facing a serious shortage of essential medicines as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East disrupts the import of pharmaceutical raw materials and other critical supplies, according to a new report.

The neighbour nation’s existing stock of pharmaceutical raw materials is sufficient for only about one-and-a-half months, according to the report in The Express Tribune.

The conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has led to the suspension of several international flights, affecting Pakistan’s ability to import life-saving medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients and baby formula.

According to the report, the situation could have severe consequences for ordinary Pakistanis already grappling with high inflation and expensive healthcare.

Patients those are suffering from chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease could be particularly vulnerable if shortages trigger price spikes or limit availability.

“Many of them depend on the country’s public healthcare system,” according to the report.

Infant nutrition could also be affected, as baby formula is largely imported and prolonged disruptions could reduce supplies, the report said.

The report also noted that Pakistan’s dependence on imported pharmaceutical ingredients has long been a concern among health experts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, experts had warned about the country’s limited capacity to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients domestically and highlighted the risks of relying heavily on cheaper imports.

However, according to the report, little progress was made in strengthening local production capacity, leaving the country exposed to global supply disruptions.

The report argued that the current situation demonstrates the risks of relying on short-term import solutions without developing domestic manufacturing capabilities.

It urged the government to treat pharmaceutical self-reliance as a matter of national security and to take steps such as providing tax incentives for local production of raw materials, investing in pharmaceutical infrastructure and establishing emergency stockpiling mechanisms.

The report also warned that without such measures, prolonged disruptions in global supply chains could significantly affect access to life-saving medicines for millions of people in the country.

–IANS

ag/na