Increases in the Sales of Pharma Industry due to COVID-19

by Maliha Sethi &
Aqsa Mehmood
It is a dangerous epidemic disease called “Coronavirus” which spread very fastly and all over the world within a short period. Since December 2019, it first appeared in China and then started covering the entire globe. It involves common cold to severe respiratory syndrome. The whole world was shocked by the rapid outbreak especially the health ministers around the world i.e. public health approach. Normal etiquettes, hygienic activities, clinics, and hospital facilities, and quarantine for infected patients, all have taken a toll on the international community. Problems started increasing like sudden demands of masks leads to high prices of a requirement for a condition like corona. It is the fact that during the Covid time period the sales of Pharma Industry are increased.
The coronavirus has crushed the health system all over the world including developed and underdeveloped countries. The US, UK, France all faced the same situation as lack of doctors, ventilators, masks, and other protecting apparatus. But this situation is worst in developing nations. Pakistan and other African countries are facing a very hard time. When this pandemic entered Pakistan on Feb 26, 2020 many cases registered all over Pakistan and the number of patients increased every hour due to negligence of people as well as increasing in the prices of medicines, masks, oxygen tanks etc by the pharma Industry.
.Later, on 16th May 2020 about 38,800 cases were confirmed and 770 deaths had occurred. Then the Government of Pakistan took some action and they put a lockdown to avoid the further spreading of the virus but the people are against this especially the traders and religious scholars. When government closed the mosques for the safety of people than people and Moulvi’s are gone against the decision and as a result number of coronavirus patients increased. As every solution breeds a new problem, this lockdown is an acceptable decision but it generated problems that affect the poor and vulnerable class worst of all. People who are employed in an informal sector are suffering from an economic shock. Lower social classes are not only dying from the virus but many of them died from unemployment plus the Pharma Industry only work for profit only in this situation. The price of mask in usual days are Rs 20 but during Covid time period these masks were sold for Rs100 or even Rs 150. As health is more important than wealth so people for the sake of life spent a lot of money on these minor things to avoid major problem of Covid.
In Pakistan 10million people from the lower social class are earning a minimum amount to fulfill their daily needs. The informal sector includes different employment i-e daily wagers, domestic helpers, street vendors, etc. Their life is at risk. As social distancing is very essential to prevent the further expansion of virus but they do not want to do so to survive. In this worst situation the pharma industry not only increases the prices of every Covid prevent items but also looted the people even if he/she belongs to the lower middle class.
Currently, the role of pharmaceutical industry has a major significance. Pharmaceutical industry is always being selling so much but till the time covid-19 was introduced there has been a wide increase in their sales. Every man wants to be fit and why not when it comes to save our life in the Covid situation to be healthy and to deal with such dangerous pathogens.
To make immune system fight against viruses several kinds of multivitamins, energy boosters are essential which had great sale during covid time. Each and every person do not want to get infected by this dangerous pandemic so they buy these medicines to save their life and thus the pharmaceutical industry sales got increases and these people got benefitted day by day. They don’t care about the Human Health they just want profit.
Moreover, there were also situation in medical stores when all the stuff is sold out because people were so curious about their health. There also came a time when there was huge shortage of these supplements and at that time they were in much demand than ever before.
There was great increase in sales of drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases and the market segment also includes vaccines sales. There was a high growth to the increased sales of prescription drugs and generic for several diabetes and anti-infective drugs.
The pharma marketing sales has lead towards a digital tool platform for selling and hence increasing the sales even in pandemic state by launching their pri8and services in digital platforms such as web marketing, e sampling, edetailing etc. The marketing strategy has wide response which shows the rapid selling despite through the data driven methods and in cost effective way.
It is the matter of the fact that the future is all about internet and everything will be digital so it is the good initiative by the pharma industries.