Tetanus injection being sold at 'exorbitant rates' as Karachi faces acute shortage

• Patients facing problem for injection’s shortage: PCDA official.
• Badhani says injection's raw materials not available in market.
• He assures that soon problem of shortage would be resolved. 

KARACHI: As Karachi faces acute shortage of tetanus injection, Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) Senior Vice Chairman Abdul Samad Badhani Monday said some chemists were selling the injection in black market at about 10 times higher rate.

It has been about one and a half months since not just Karachi but other cities, including Lahore, are suffering from severe shortage of the anti-tetanus injection, used to prevent wound infection, at medical stores and pharmacies.

People, who get injured in accidents, are facing extreme difficulties, as the anti-tetanus injection is not available in private clinics and hospitals too. As per medical experts, the injection must be administered within 72 hours of the injury, as bacteria could enter the body through various wounds.

“Patients are facing problem due to the injection’s shortage,” Badhani said apprising that the injection could not be manufactured for non-availability of raw materials in the global market.

He said some chemists were selling the Rs50-55 injection of five millilitres at prices up to 10 ten times high.

However, the chemist association’s vice chairman assured that the problem of the tetanus injection’s manufacturing had been resolved as per the drug manufacturing companies and they would soon be available in the market.