After being reinstated as Pakistan’s chief justice, Iftikhar Md Chaudhry is not just restricted to restoring functional democracy in Gen Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial regime.
Offcourt...
After being reinstated as Pakistan’s chief justice, Iftikhar Md Chaudhry is not just restricted to restoring functional democracy in Gen Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial regime. He also wants the country’s ailing health services to look up as in India.
Speaking to health ministry officials, who had come for the hearing of a petition seeking a cap on surging drug prices last week, the chief justice said on his visit to India he paid Rs 10 for a pack of pills which cost Rs 49 in Pakistan.
“Why is there a price difference between medicines manufactured by local pharma companies and those manufactured by multinationals?” he rued. The answer lay in privatisation of drug trade.
The Pakistan Supreme Court is being lauded by the local media for its crusade against ill-practises and corruption in the field of medicine and health. CJP Chaudhry accepted a petition by a group of doctors who wanted an end to commercialisation of kidney transplant and better amenities to doctors by the government.
Though it may take some time to stop the kidney trade, Pakistan Supreme Court gave a patient hearing to the doctors.
Dr Shershah Syed, former general secretary of Pakistan Medical Association, said doctors like him were paid about Rs 60,000 per month, besides a vehicle with petrol allowance and a house in India. The Indian government also sends doctors abroad twice a year. In contrast, doctors in Pakistan are paid Rs 20,000 without any other benefits, he added.
Dr Kaiser Sajjad, general secretary PMA, held corruption in health ministry as a major factor behind the escalating price of medicines. A medicine that costs Rs10 in India is being sold for Rs 200 in Pakistan, Kaiser said.
The grass surely looks greener across the fence, but across the barbed wires there are dark patches being created by Rs 40bn spurious medicines market. It has grown by 20 per cent since 2005.
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