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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
QATAR has remained unscathed from the GCC crisis much to the dismay and discomfiture of the siege countries. In fact, Qatar has found new markets for medicines in different parts of the world and established new trade routes for its transportation and to ensure its regular supply in the country. Moreover, Qatari suppliers are eyeing Turkish and Indian medicine markets to meet their requirements.
Pharmacy is one sector where Qatar's government has ensured that there are no shortages or hike in prices whatsoever at any given point in time by ensuring sufficient stocks to cater for the country's population.
For medicines that came from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Qatar has found new markets to buy it from and is looking to expand its network of suppliers to maintain adequate supplies of all medicines in the country.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune after more than four months of blockade, one of the staff members of Qatar Pharmacy said that they have sufficient medicines in their shelves."Medicines that came from the UAE and Saudi Arabia are being imported now from Europe and the United States. The medicines have different brand names, but have similar components," he said.
He added that they place monthly orders for medicines to maintain uninterrupted supply and to avoid keeping the drugs on the shelves for long.
According to him, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has ensured that the prices of the medicines remained unchanged throughout the ongoing siege period.
Another official from Al Bateel Pharmacy said that they have sufficient stocks to meet the requirements in the next two to three months."Most of our medicines and medical supplies come from Europe, but we also import from Oman and Jordan."
He added,"Earlier, we bought Adol, a paracetamol, from the UAE, but now we have replaced it by alternatives such as Panadol, Tylenol, Enelfa and Panda from Switzerland, Germany and Jordan respectively."
He further said that most medicines for chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension came from Europe and yet there had been no hike in its prices.
"Prior to the blockade, the MoPH had reduced the prices of most of the medicines. Before the imposition of blockade, medicines came from Europe to Qatar via the UAE through the sea route. Now, our distributors like Ebn Sina and Al Baker are bringing the medicines to Qatar by air leading to escalation in its cost. Yet, the prices have remained the same."
Some of the distributors, according to him, are also looking at importing medicines from Turkey and India.
Echoing them, a staff of Kulud Pharmacy said that they have never faced shortage of medicines since the blockade began on June 5.
According to an official of a major distributing company in Qatar, the blockade actually came as a blessing in disguise."We have made new connections and we are signing new partnerships with suppliers from several parts of the world," he said.
