Power, fuel crisis may drive up medicine prices

The rising electricity and fuel costs have added greatly to the cost of medicines production in Bangladesh as the pharmaceutical industries have to depend on their generator, UPS and diesel because of the fuel crisis and shortage of gas (August 24).

At the dialogue arranged by Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) and Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum (BHRF) at Tejgaon, Dhaka, the Secretary General of BAPI, Halimuzzaman stated that the rate of electricity fixed by the government was Tk 15 per unit while the actual cost for the factories could go up to Tk 42.

He explained that the process of production of medicine cannot be stopped mid-way and thus it becomes necessary to keep the power supply constant. In addition, the shortage of gas has caused the increased usage of diesel whereas the need for emergency fuel raises the costs.

Besides these costs incurred because of higher cost of raw material, quality assurance, storage and research have also raised the cost of production. He added that unless the energy crisis was overcome, there could not be any other way out except increasing the cost of medicines.

BHRF Secretary Mujahid Shuvo called for discussions to address the industry's challenges.

-AJM