Prices of several essential medicines have risen massively in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising concern among patients and healthcare professionals.
The most significant hike has been seen in insulin, a vital drug for diabetes. The cost of an insulin injection device has increased from Rs2,200 to Rs4,720, more than doubling its previous price.
Medical experts warn that this increase could have serious consequences for diabetic patients, many of whom rely on regular insulin doses to control blood sugar levels and avoid complications.
Other commonly used medicines have also become more expensive. A medication for indigestion and acidity has increased from Rs530 to Rs620 per pack, while vitamins and nutritional supplements have risen from Rs480 to Rs510. The price of a drug used to treat vitamin B deficiency has climbed from Rs500 to Rs600.
A sharp increase has also been recorded in a thyroid medication, with its price jumping from Rs85 to Rs290. Meanwhile, the cost of a typhoid treatment drug has gone up from Rs805 to Rs930.
Sources say the revised prices were approved by relevant authorities and are already being implemented at pharmacies across Peshawar. Prices of several other life-saving medicines have also increased, though further details are yet to be confirmed.
Patients and pharmacists have voiced serious concerns, particularly over the steep rise in insulin prices. Pharmacists said that many low-income diabetic patients are already struggling to afford treatment, and such increases may force some to skip doses or switch to less effective alternatives.
Doctors have cautioned that rising medicine costs could lead to poor treatment adherence, increasing the risk of complications and hospitalisations.
The price hike comes amid ongoing inflation and rising living costs, with families managing chronic illnesses expected to be among the most affected. Health experts have urged the government to review the increases and introduce relief measures, while also ensuring the availability of quality medicines in the market.
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