BHOPAL: In the wake of coronavirus scare Madhya Pradesh Public Health Services Corporation Limited (MPPHSCL) has instructed pharmaceutical companies and medicines suppliers to maintain regular supply of medicines and masks. MPPHSCL administration held a meeting with association of pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers on Saturday.
Since the Coronavirus started spreading there has been a spike in demand for masks and sanitisers- this has also caused the prices to soar. Instructions have also been issued to the manufacturers not to sell their products at more than Market Retail Price (MRP). Similarly, instruction has been given to curb the stockpiling of medicines and masks.
Private medicals store blamed the pharmaceutical companies for dumping material with inflated MRP as they have to bear financial burden to maintain the supply as per the demands.
Dayashankar of Shankar Medical Store said, “There is as such no shortage of masks and sanitisers in open market. Pharma companies are burdened with manufacturing masks and sanitisers to meet the demands. The prices are more as the companies allegedly have to spend more on manufacturing. The n95 mask, which earlier, costed Rs180 is now costing Rs250 in the market.”
According to the Medical stores owners they are not selling the products at higher price, rather, the manufacturing companies have already increased the rates. “It means, we are getting the material with inflated rates (increased MRP) so we are selling it with inflated rates,” Shankar medical stores added.
