Meanwhile, the Indian authorities continue to maintain that it has been holding back the trucks on its side of the border because of ongoing agitations by the United Democratic Madhesi Morcha (UDMF) at Miteri Bridge.
Pharmaceutical entrepreneurs attribute the medicine crisis to the halt in imports from India.
“About 300 trucks carrying 3,000 tons of medicines, including surgical and sanitary material, have been stuck at Raxaul alone,” informed Prakash Khandelwal, vice-chairman of Nepal Medicine Entrepreneurs Association. “Most of the medicines and raw materials imported into the country come through the Raxaul point,” said Khandelwal, who is also an importer of medicines.
According to him, some entrepreneurs have been importing medicines through Belhia of Bhairahawa. “We have to go through lots of extra paperwork to import medicines through Bhairahawa. And we have to bear twice the expenses,” said Khandelwal.
“Demand for medicines has increased drastically in Kathmandu and the hill districts due to the ongoing crisis. However, the supply will not ease unless obstructions are lifted to imports from India,” he added.
The halt in medicine imports has led to rampant smuggling. “Some essential medicines which are not supplied by distributors have to be bought in the blackmarket,” informed a drugs retailer.
Similarly, lack of raw materials has led to a halt in drugs production at home. “Large amounts of chemicals needed for the production of medicines also remain stranded at the border,” said Prithivi Raj Rajbhandari, managing director of Quest Pharmaceuticals.
According to Prabhat Rungata, managing director of Maruti Pharmacy Ltd, medicine production has been affected because all the essential raw materials need to be imported from India. Among the 48 pharmaceutical industries in Nepal, 13 are in the Birgunj-Pathaliya corridor.
Along with life-saving drugs, the blockade has caused a severe scarcity of goods of daily necessity, including petroleum products and food stuff.
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Border Town Raxaul
