Essential Medicines Will Be Slightly Expensive From April 1

Starting from April 1 price of essential medicines such as painkiller, antibiotics, and anti-infectives will be slightly increased. Drugs pricing regulator has announced a slight 0.0055% yearly bump in the prices of drugs listed under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), in line with changes in the wholesale price index (WPI).

According to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), this adjustment is based on the wholesale price index data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It indicates a minimal increase of 0.00551% in the WPI for the calendar year 2023 compared to the previous year.

While some in the pharmaceutical industry might not find this increase significant, especially after larger hikes in recent years, others, like representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), see it as a necessary step to ensure these crucial drugs remain affordable.