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IV fluid prices to go up by 10%

Staff Correspondent
20 Nov 2022 21:46:26 | Update: 20 Nov 2022 21:51:31
IV fluid prices to go up by 10%
— Representational Photo/AFP

The government has decided to increase IV fluid prices by 10 per cent only months after prices of several lifesaving drugs and injections went up across the country.

Prices of IV fluids were increased as part of a readjustment of drug prices on Sunday following requests from several pharmaceutical companies, according to officials.

The decision was made during a meeting at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare office. Dr Md Anwar Hossain Howlader, secretary of the Health Services Division, presided over the meeting.

Only prices of the IV fluids have been increased, Major General Mohammad Yousuf, director general of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) told The Business Post confirming the matter. Prices of other medicines have remained unchanged.

“There are few categories of IV fluid being used in the healthcare system and their prices have increased by 10%,” he said.

IV fluids are specially formulated liquids that are injected into a patient’s vein to prevent or treat dehydration. Their cost ranges from Tk 60-70.

“With the latest increase, prices of each saline might go up by Tk 5-7,” Mohammad Yousuf said.

He added, “We cannot drastically increase prices of the care materials in a time when prices of all prices are going up. We need to balance prices for the people and for the companies as well.”

Md Ashraf Hossain, a divisional director of DGDA who attended the meeting, said some of the IV fluid producing companies sent proposals to DGDA for the price readjustment, following which the meeting was held.

“Some proposals have been made and it will be made official tomorrow (Monday),” he said.

Earlier, in June this year, the DGDA had fixed the maximum retail price of 53 products of 19 generics, mostly oral medicine. The decision came after pharmaceutical companies applied to the DGDA for a price hike.

Before the June price hike, medicine prices last went up in 2015.

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