According to Aziza Belouas of La Vie éco, the decline in medicines sales during the holy month of Ramadan is a well-known, experienced every year, phenomenon to Moroccan pharmacists.
Nevertheless, according to the same source, the numbers this year have taken a new dimension as the demand for digestive problems medicines, which normally experience a high demand during the holy month -50% of all medicines sales in the country in Ramadan- decreased by a 10% factor.
This sharp decrease has dropped the global demand for medicine in the country by a 20% factor, the smallest-minded nadir of sales ever experienced in Ramadan.
A source from the National Federation of Trade Unions of pharmacists, quoted by La Vie éco, “blames” the growing phenomenon of traditional medicine for this sharp decline.
“This is a very strong trend [referring to Traditional Medicine products] this year which aggravates the general decline in medicine sales. Those products [Traditional Medicine] pose a real danger to users who rely on results endorsed by herbalists. Such products are increasingly echoed by local radio stations and Arabic television channels.
People should know that the use of certain plants and traditional products whose dosage is not controlled may have severe side effects and aggravate the patient’s digestive problems.”
Ramadan has always been a difficult month for pharmacists, and this year, the situation has aggravated because of the aforementioned reason, in addition to the government’s very recent law to lower medicine prices.
The Moroccan Times.
