New Delhi, April 18 (NationPress) The ongoing US-Iran conflict has significantly impacted the availability of essential medicines and infant formula in Pakistan, revealing critical weaknesses in the nation's healthcare system and policy frameworks, according to a recent report.

A report from the Pakistan Observer indicates that this supply disruption has resulted in shortages and escalating prices, causing considerable distress among patients who rely on vital medications and imported nutritional products.

Mohammad Atif Hanif Baloch, the President of the Wholesale Chemists Council of Pakistan, emphasized that the government currently lacks a robust policy to guarantee the stable supply of essential medicines and effective price control mechanisms.

He warned, "Should the Gulf region's conflict persist, we could see a sharp increase in the prices of vital medications, including those for cancer, diabetes, insulin, and heart diseases."

Baloch also pointed out a potential severe shortage of infant formula, which is entirely imported, placing a disproportionate burden on low-income families.

Additionally, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has raised alarms regarding the availability of medicines as the crisis continues to disrupt global supply chains.

Pakistan is heavily reliant on imports for both finished pharmaceuticals and raw materials, known as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), with estimates suggesting that about 90% of APIs are sourced through Gulf ports.

A Health Ministry official noted that current stocks of medications may only last another two months if supply interruptions continue.

Dr. Akram Sultan, a former health official, stated that Pakistan's inability to establish domestic API production could severely compromise the availability of medicines, vaccines, and critical raw materials.

He added, "Currently, Pakistan lacks an effective strategy to locally produce pharmaceutical raw materials, and the private sector has not invested sufficiently in this area."

Industry representatives have also highlighted policy hurdles, including delays in price approvals, as major obstacles in addressing this crisis.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association has issued warnings about shortages of essential pediatric tuberculosis medicines, raising concerns that this could lead to an increase in drug-resistant TB cases among children.

Patients undergoing treatments for cardiac issues, cancer, and transplants are already feeling the impact of these disruptions, according to the report.