HYDERABAD: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority increased the prices of as many as 800 essential medicines by 10.7 per cent, effective from April 1.
A memorandum issued by the authority on Friday said, “Based on the wholesale price index (WPI) data provided by the office of the economic advisor, department for promotion of industry and internal trade, ministry of commerce and industry, the annual change in the WPI works out as 10.76607 per cent during the calendar year 2021 over the corresponding period in 2020.”
Member of Telangana State Pharmacy Council Dr A. Sanjay Reddy said the decision would affect the prices of about 800 essential medicines used to treat fever, infections, heart disease, high blood pressure, skin diseases and anaemia. He said this included medicines such as paracetamol, metronidazole, azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and phenobarbitone.
Dr Reddy said the hike followed the rise in prices of fuel, gas and cooking oil, which would make the poor and lower-middle-class people to suffer. The government should consider the situation of such people, he said.
