Mauritius faces ‘dire’ shortage of around 80 medicines, doctors and pharmacists have warned, as they call for a national strategy to prevent the situation getting worse.
Drugs such as Maxillase, Diclowal, Doliprane, Zithromax, Augmentin, Voltaren, Piriton, including liquid paracetamol for children are among the drugs listed as being out of stock.
Private pharmacies said they are offering patients generic products as substitute or generic drugs. Public hospitals are reportedly facing the same problem, but to a lesser extent.
While the shortage of forex is not equally helping, increasing difficulties are being faced with manufacturers/distributors who are faced with the scarcity of certain raw materials on the world market.
So says Siddique Khodabocus, president of Small and Medium Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. “It’s complicated for pharmacists because patients demand branded drugs and are not willing to go for generics, which are just as effective,” he said.
However, the use of the generic drugs are not preferred by doctors.
“It’s quite edgy to offer a certain treatment when the drug that is usually prescribed for such treatment is not available. Not all substitute or generics are identical and do not have the same effectiveness as branded products. All we can hope for is that the generic medications we suggest work as they should and bring relief,” said Dr Bassoodev Goolaub, a general practitioner.
For Siddique Khodabocus, the solution to the shortage of medicines lies in parallel importation, that is the supply of the same product, from another country than where it is produced.
Public hospitals, according to Defi Media, are facing the same constraint. However, they are said to have the possibility of buying the drugs from the local market, if available, until orders placed by the Ministry of Health reach the island.
Hereunder the list of medicines that are out of stock, according to Defi Media:
1. Maxillase tabs
2. Maxillase syrup
3. Instalase tabs
4. Megamylase tabs
5. Megamylase syrup
6. Medflu syrup
7. Medflu tabs
8. Diclowal 25 suppo,
9. Diclowal 12.5 suppo
10. Voltaren 25 suppo
11. Voltaren 100 suppo
12. Propranolol 40
13. Bromocriptine
14. Doliprane syrup
15. Panadol syrup
16. Premarin vag cream
17. Celestene drops
18. Betastene drop
19. Ventolin nebules
20. Pulmorest nebules
21. Atrovent nebules
22. Zithromax syrup 30 ml
23. Zithromax syrup 15 ml
24. Zithromax tabs
25. Zimax tabs
26. Augmentin bdsf
27. Augmentin bds syrup
28. Julmentin 457 syrup
29. Febricol tabs
30. Duofilm
31. Verrufilm
32. Oroken enfant syrup
33. Doliprane 100 mg suppo
34. Doliprane 150 mg suppo
35. Doliprane 300 suppo
36. Doliprane 1000 mg suppo
37. Voltfaast sachets
38. Voltaren injection
39. Histalix syrup
40. Histalix sugar free
41. Histalix infant
42. Histalix enfant
43. Piriton syrup
44. Piriton expectorant
45. Zyrtec syrup
46. Proctosedyl ointment
47. Anodesyn ointment
48. Preparation ointment
49. Bactrim syrup
50. Lagatrim syrup
51. L-trim syrup
52. Septrim syrup
53. Panfurex syrup
54. Ercefuryl caps
55. Ercefuryl syrup
56. Kofol syrup
57. Soludone 5 mg
58. Lazoran syrup
59. Strepsils
60. Medikeel gargle
61. Difflam spray
62. Difflam gargle
63. Difflam lozenges
64. Angised
65. Angilingual
66. Olbas oil
67. Olbas inhaler
68. Olbas lozenges
69. Axcel paracetamol 125 syrup
70. Axcel paracetamol 250 syrup
71. Turbovas cp
72. Denk air 5 mg
73. Singular 4 mg
74. Singular 5 mg
