Chemists blame distributors for medicine shortage

THERE is a severe shortage of a wide range of medicines in Qatar due to the “imbalance in the supply and demand chain” in the country, industry sources said yesterday.

The shortage is being attributed by pharmacists to the failure of importers to anticipate the demand and ensure sufficient supply in face of the rising population and continuing appreciation of euro.

Close to 40% of all medicines imported and consumed in Qatar are produced in Europe, although cheaper varieties made in Jordan, Egypt, India and other countries are also available in the local market.

“I needed Hyzaar – the much popular medicine for hypertension, but the government-run hospital turned me down and instead gave me a combination of two different tablets,” a frustrated reader told Gulf Times.

“Going to private hospitals and pharmacies did not help either. I ended up buying the drug from neighbouring countries, as no other combination seemed to work for me,” he maintained.

Yesterday, Starli 20mg (for hypertension), Glucophage 500mg (for diabetes), Stablon (anti-depressant) and a host of other drugs were not available at a number of pharmacies in Doha.

“When the distributors should be ordering 200 boxes of a certain medicine, they are placing orders only for 100,” explained a pharmacist.

According to her, first, there is the uncertainty of having to dispose of unused inventory and, secondly, there is the continued appreciation of euro, “upsetting the balance of the demand and supply equation”.

“We have seen prices of a number of drugs go up as much as 30% over the last one year because of the rising euro. Amid constant rumours of the de-pegging of the riyal from the dollar, who would want to place big orders?”

However, the steep increase in prices was not seen across the board, as prices for certain drugs have risen only marginally. In the case of a 20-tablet pack of Augmentin, a commonly-prescribed antibiotic, the price of QR120 has not changed for a year. “But these are exceptions rather than the rule,” a shopkeeper maintained.

An official of a polyclinic, adding his perspective, said: “In addition to the euro’s appreciation and the population rise, construction companies have been stocking medicines for their workers – a number that runs into thousands – resulting in more shortages.”

Qatari Labour Law makes it mandatory for any construction company with more than 500 workers to have a stock of medicines like muscle relaxants, antibiotics, antacids and so on.

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