19 Nov, Birgunj:
Hundreds of vehicles carrying drugs and drugs related raw materials have been stuck at Indian border nearby Birgunj – the prime customs entry point of the country.
With the obstruction to the supply of drugs, the area has witnessed an acute shortage of emergency medicines. The medicines-laden containers that had arrived at Birgunj customs checkpoint have been stranded at Indian border with the border blockade resulted from the indefinite shutdown enforced by agitating Madhes-based parties.
The dearth of medicine with the disruption of supply from the border point has halted the very serious surgical and cardiac treatment. Drug entrepreneurs said that surgical accessories, saline and cardiac arrest preventive and curative medicines and oxygen are completely out of stock.
“More than 300 vehicles carrying medicines and medicinal raw materials imported for Nepal have been stuck at Indian city, Raxaul”, said Vice-Chair of Federation of Nepal Drugs Entrepreneurs, Prakash Khandewal. “All sides should be sensitive as the problem may arise in the quality of medicines while stranded in asymmetric temperature”, he added.
It is very unfortunate that the vehicles containing emergency goods for human life like medicines are not entering the country, he said, adding that there is a compulsion to store some medicines in the rented rooms at Raxaul otherwise the drugs stranded at border may be spoilt.
The drugs entrepreneurs viewed that they would not allow shortage of drugs in the market on condition the government arranged fuels required for the production and supply of medicines.
“The medicine manufacturers should be provided with fuel on the basis of priority”, said proprietor of Nepal Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd Arbind Amatya, adding, “The government should immediately give proper outlet to the serious problem as the industrialists are facing double burden”.
It is learnt the domestic production of drugs now has contributed only 40 per cent of the total demand. RSS
