Supply of medicines for the treatment of cough, fever and cold-related diseases have fallen short of demand, creating a crisis of the drug in market in the capital, according to sellers and consumers. Many medicine stores in the capital have said they are out of stock of cough, fever and cold-related drugs.
Earlier, germicides and hand sanitisers disappeared from the market. Many antibiotics drugs of the Azithromycin group are not available in many stores. Demand for such products, including Hexisol, has increased due to awareness about regular hand washing. “Certain medicines are out of stock at our store as most of the customers are looking for antibiotics, cough fever medicine,” said Palash Kumar, medicine store salesman at Dhanmondi.
Azimpur Sharisul Hasan, who came to a medicine shop at Azimpur, said “I was looking for painkiller but they’re (pharmacy store) saying they are out stock. Even normal fever tablet Napa, and cold syrup Brodil are also out of stock. I have visited six stores with this prescription.”|
Buyers said cashing in on the supply-demand gap, many medicine stores are charging the buyers more than the fixed rates. Talking to representatives of different pharmaceutical companies, it was learnt that as the demand for the products increased, they raised production and supply, but could not cope with excessive demand.
On the other hand, people concerned have urged general public not to buy medicines at home without need. They urged them to take immediate initiatives in balancing demand and supply. Mahmud Islam, a resident of Rampura area of the capital did not receive Hexisol at the local Lazz Pharma for three days.
He said he did not find Hexisol in at least eight drugstores in his area. Some common vitamin C , cold and cough drugs, and antibiotics of the Azithromycin group are also not available. Not only in the Rampura area, but different types of drugs are also not seen in different parts of the capital.
Abdullah Al Mamun, owner of a pharmacy in the capital's Uttara area, said people have stockpiled these drugs in fear of the spread of corona. Therefore, the pharmacy of his paracetamol group, Recnik (malarial fever medicine), Fexofenadine, Histacin, Alatrol, Antazol nasal drops, vitamin C and Azithromycin drugs have been reported out of stock in his pharmacy.
It is reported that doctors now do not want to see patients with fever, cough or sore throat. In that case, many times you have to buy medicines on telephone advice. But many pharmacies do not sell these drugs without a doctor's management. ACI Pharmaceuticals is the leading Hexisol marketing company in the country. Arif Billah Chowdhury, head of the central logistics department of the company said the problem is increasing due to increasing demand. "We have increased production, production is underway 24 hours. But the demand has increased.'