Vision Impairment and Ban on Use of Avastin for Eye Diseases
Aims to #End Blindness
Background
Today, we are launching our campaign to raise awareness and express our concerns about the increasing spread of vision impairment and blindness. This troubling situation has developed due to the ban imposed by the Punjab caretaker government in September 2023 on an off-label drug, Avastin, which was previously used to treat eye diseases. This ban was enacted without providing a low-cost alternative for eye patients. Although the ban was later lifted, there was a lack of proper notification to doctors and hospitals, who reported not receiving any communication until the time of this report.
Impact of the Ban
Ophthalmologists had been using Avastin off-label because it was cost-effective and affordable for low-income patients. The cost of Avastin was approximately Rs. 1200 per dose per eye in government-run hospitals and Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 in private hospitals, including hospital charges. Other alternative drugs, such as Partiza, Eylea, and Lucentis, were significantly more expensive, costing between Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 100,000 plus hospital charges. Following the nine-month ban, the prices of these alternatives have soared to between Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 125,000 plus hospital expenses.
Patients with vision impairment require this treatment every 4 to 8 weeks, making the high costs unsustainable for many.
Statistics on Vision Impairment
According to the Third National Survey of Blindness in Pakistan, 9 million people in the country suffer from vision impairment, ranging from mild impairment to complete blindness. In a country with such alarming statistics, restrictions on affordable drugs for nearly nine months are unacceptable and detrimental to public health.
Call to Action
It’s time to take action to raise awareness about visual impairment and blindness. With 9 million people affected in Pakistan, many of whom require eye injections to slow down degeneration, we must address this issue urgently.
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#EndBlindness
#EndBlindness
ReplyDelete"Disappointing decision! The ban on avastine will put public health at risk and undermine efforts to prevent preventable diseases and blindness. I hope the Punjab government put extra effort in uplifting the ban immediately.
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ReplyDeleteThe information given is interesting and helpful ! #Endblindness
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DeleteThis is very helpful and interesting
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ReplyDeleteIts a humble request to uplift the ban on avastin to make it accessible to the visually impaired people..
ReplyDelete#end blindness#avastin#uplift ban# show humanity#help needy#
#Endblindness
ReplyDeletePlease government officials are requested to take this issue in their serious consideration...
ReplyDeleteAssalamualaikum dear sir/madam, we as a nation have been suffering on so many fronts for a while now. This issue shouldn't have taken this long to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is adding fuel to the fire which is already getting tense by day.
Soon the nation will not be able to take any of this anymore. Insha Allah.
Please have some mercy or Allah will have no mercy on the responsible ones. Jazak Allah
#End Blindness #Avastin
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ReplyDeleteConcerned authority should ponder over the matter on urgent basis #End Blindness
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ReplyDeleteThe relavant authorities are requested to bring this issue in consideration!
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It is highly disappointing that there is still no alternative of this medication has been arranged so far. Else ban should be reversed immediately, so that people can start treatments.
ReplyDeleteThank You
Affected people. So, government should pay attention to this issue at the earliest
ReplyDeleteAssalamu alakum, this matter should be resolved as soon as possible because due to non-availability of this medicine, the people who are suffering from poor eyesight are suffering a lot, their vision may become more and more poor and life without vision is nothing
ReplyDeleteJazak Allah
#EndBlindness
ReplyDeleteConcerned authorities should support in this matter. #endblindness
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ReplyDeleteI also know some ppl in my family who are badly suffering due to the unavailability of avastin injection as it is the cheapest and the most affordable for the public.Its a humble request to the government to uplift the ban on avastin to make it accessible to the visually impaired people..
This is really pathetic that there are over a million people suffering from this disease and no one in the govt bothers to do something about it. This needs to be resolved soon. I appeal to the authorities to look into it and lift the ban from Avastin as the alternates are too expensive for most patients.
ReplyDelete#EndBlindness
#End Blindness
ReplyDeleteAuthorities please take care of this matter on high priority 🙏
Eye diseases like this require regular monthly injections of anti-VEGF medication to prevent progression. Unfortunately, many patients rely on these injections, and without affordable alternatives like bevacizumab, the financial burden will be overwhelming. As a doctor, I urgently appeal to the Punjab Health Department to address this critical issue and ensure access to affordable treatment options for these patients.
ReplyDelete# Endblindness
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