National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore’s Awareness and Prevention Wing has called on officials from Punjab Healthcare Commission, Drugs Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and Roche local officials for a comprehensive briefing over media reports regarding much escalated prices of Actemra vials and sale of said injections in black market touching Rs 5 lac per vial (approx). The briefing was called by NAB Lahore and was presided by officials from the bureau.
It was told in the briefing that during the mid year 2020, the price of Actemra vial (400mg)-a life-saving injectable drug available for critical Covid patients-was fixed at Rs50,000 by the government, but soon after fixing prices in July 2020, the vial shortage started being reported at different circles. Ultimately, the prices of said vial initiated to raise higher and higher through black marketing to the tune of Rs5 lac per vial.
The visiting delegation also briefed that due to the unavailability of raw material, it wouldn’t be possible for the vial producing company Roche to continue their supplies untill December this year, and resultantly, the same has currently been suspended. On the other hand, it was also informed by the DRAP officials that the provincial govt is on the way to give a go ahead to two other vials to assist covid patients’ treatment.
NAB Lahore officials directed the visiting officials to make arrangments for smoothly import and supply of Actemra vials from Switzerland on fast track procedure. They also called for countering mis-information being spread at different forums regarding shortage of Actemra vials and to publish complete guidance based details on DRAP’s website for the convenience of general public. Media campaigns on different platforms may also be initiated to control escalating prices of said vials.
At this occassion, it was clarified that NAB Lahore always extends efforts and gives priority to the issues pertaining to public interests, while in past, by the efforts of NAB Lahore a renowned private laboratory offered 50 percent concessions in Covid testing for senior citizens. NAB Lahore also highlighted that the Bureau has been performing on fore fronts in the public welfare and national causes which has been yielding positive results in public interests.
