Pakistan Sees 14.15% Spike in Medicine Prices, Healthcare Becomes Unaffordable

Pakistan is experiencing a significant surge in medicine prices, with an annual increase of 14.15 percent, making healthcare less affordable for many. This rise is part of a broader inflation trend affecting various sectors.

Key Price Increases:

• Health Facilities: Up 15.22 percent, making medical treatment harder to access.
• Doctor’s Fees: Increased by 18.76 percent, adding to the financial burden on patients.
• Dental Services: Become 29.47 percent more expensive.
• Medical Tests: Costs rose by 7.32 percent.
• Medical Facilities: Increased by 17.12 percent within a year.

The education sector has also seen a 9.58 percent price hike, while taxes on cars skyrocketed by 168.79 percent. Even everyday essentials like textbooks and stationery have become 5.75 percent and 7.71 percent more expensive, respectively .

This surge is partly due to the government’s proposal to impose an 18 percent sales tax on medicines, as recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Experts warn that this move will make medicines unaffordable for many, allowing pharmaceutical companies to set prices unchecked .