Medicine shortage in Mon State brings trouble for patients with chronic diseases

September 12, 2024

HURFOM: For the last three years, since the attempted coup, the military junta does not have sufficient US Dollars to import needed medicines, resulting in frequent shortages of medicine across Burma.

Since June, 2024, hospitals, clinics and pharmacy stores have experienced shortages, especially medicines needed for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart and kidney diseases.

Pharmacists say medicine shortages are a huge problem for chronic patients who need to take medicines regularly.

“The import of medicines for chronic patients has declined by up to 50%. Even the medicines which were abundant before, are scarce now. We’ve ordered essential medicines for chronic patients but we’ve received none of our orders. We’ve already experienced a one-year shortage of diabetes drugs in the past,” said a pharmacist.

Chronic patients have had to substitute their prescriptions with other brands which have similar effects. Insufficient supply has created a high price in the marketplace. Some pharmacy companies have had to stop sales due to the shortages.

A package of “paracetamol” which is widely used by local people was priced at 7,000 MMK before but now, people have to pay even 30,000 MMK for the same amount of the medicine. The price has skyrocketed up to more than four times.

“Patients (in rural areas) who don’t have much money are in trouble. Their medicines aren’t available easily and the price has skyrocketed. They don’t have money to go to the cities to buy medicines,” said another pharmacist.

Doctors have warned that if patients with chronic diseases are unable to take their medicine regularly, they may face premature death.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News