The Essential Drug Company Limited (EDCL) manufactures quality drugs at an affordable price and supply them to the government hospitals and other health institutions. The state-owned pharmaceutical company is supposed to set up at least one factory in each administrative division. However, until now, only three factories have been set up and functioning in Dhaka and Khulna divisions. These factories are producing a total of 24 essential drugs and distributing them free of cost to government hospitals, upazila health complexes and union health units. It is no doubt a laudable initiative of the government.
In recent years, many people are increasingly suffering from cardiac diseases. Stent, a small tube typically used to hold open passages in the body such as weak or narrowed blood vessels, is often used in the treatment of cardiac diseases and surgical operations. However, these stents are not produced in Bangladesh. They are imported from abroad. Recently, the Bangladesh Drug Administration has fixed the price of stents from a minimum of Tk 14,000 to a maximum of Tk 140,000. Such a very high price of stent and operation cost are not affordable to most patients in Bangladesh. The government-owned EDCL can start manufacturing different types of stents and distribute cheaply to the public hospitals. When the EDCL will manufacture stents, their cost will probably go below Tk 5,000, which will be affordable to most patients. If the authorities concerned take this initiative, it may take four to five years for Bangladesh to manufacture stents at home.
Md Ashraf Hossain,
120, Central Bashabo, Dhaka-1214,
tahrimanithi@gmail.com
Bangladesh should manufacture stents
FE Team | Published: December 26, 2023 19:34:44
Bangladesh should manufacture stents
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