ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 29 March 2014 28 Jumadal I 1435 - Volume 19 Number 5618 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Budget for new fiscal expected tomorrow DOHA: The government is expected to announce its annual budget for the year 2014- 15 tomorrow. The budget for the new fiscal is expected to be one of the largest in the his- tory of Qatar, Al Sharq reported yesterday. The Cabinet approved the draft budget on March 19 before referring it to the Advisory Council for further discussion. At the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Finance H E Ali Sherif Al Emadi explained the aims and objectives of the proposed allocations to various sectors in the new budget. Considering the government’s projected investment in the construction sector, the pri- vate sector is keenly waiting for the budget announcement. Major allocations are expected in the infrastructure, health and education sec- tors this time. Government spending in the current fiscal (2013-14) was an estimated 18 percent higher than in the previous one (2012-13). An estimated 40 percent was allocated to public projects, and salaries and wages increased by 23.7 percent in the current fiscal. Spending on the education sector increased by 15 percent in the current fiscal compared to 2012-13. According to the government’s strategic plans, the new budget is expected to earmark an estimated 13.4 percent of the total allocation, meaning 3.8 percent of the country’s GDP, for BITTER the education sector. Flood-hit vehicle owners ‘can’ seek compensation DOHA: Insurance experts advise that the owners of Wednesday’s flood-hit vehicles can approach the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) or the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning for compensation. Talking to Al Arab, a section of Insurance advisors said the vehicle owners are not eligible for claiming compensation for their damaged vehicles as natural calamities are not covered MEDICINE udner the existing automobile insurance policy in Qatar. Continued on page 4 THE ISSUE Five killed as Egypt police, Islamists clash CAIRO: Five people, including an Egyptian Consumers weighed down After getting approval from mem- region. Qatari nationals and expatri- woman journalist, were killed in Cairo yester- by high drug prices can bers of the committee, the prices will be ates say that in spite of steps taken by day as police clashed with Islamists protesting conveyed to the companies concerned, the Supreme Council of Health, prices against ex-army chief Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s soon heave a sigh of relief as and they will have 60 days to respond of some medicines remain high. Due to presidency bid, the interior ministry said. prices of several medicines by accepting or rejecting the prices. If the higher prices, consumers are buying Mayada Ashraf, who worked for privately are expected to fall in the the companies have any objections, the medicines from neighbouring countries owned Al Dustour newspaper and freelanced committee will study them. where they are available at much lower for news website Masr Alarabia, was shot in near future. He said the committee had observed rates. the head while covering clashes in the northern that there was disparity in prices of Consumers blame private pharmacies neighbourhood of Ein Shams. Four more people medicines in the GCC countries but the for the high drug prices. They complain were killed in the same violence and 11 others gap was gradually narrowing. that not only are prices high at these wounded by birdshot and live ammunition, the n a recently held meeting of the He added that the narrowing dispar- pharmacies but they also vary from shop interior ministry said. GCC Committee for Medicine ity would lead to a reduction in prices to shop. Consumers are demanding reg- See also page 8 Prices, member countries, includ- and make them stable, even if there ular inspections of private pharmacies Iing Qatar, moved a step further in are currency fluctuations. It would also to check the prices of medicines. Interpol faults Malaysia bringing uniformity in prices of medi- strengthen the position of the GCC Patients also complain of unavailabil- cines, which will ultimately lead to a countries in dealing with pharmaceuti- ity of certain medicines, especially those over passport database decline in prices in Qatar. cal companies. for chronic ailments, at HMC pharma- The undersecretary for medicines Due to a wide disparity in prices of cies, which forces them to buy the medi- PARIS: The international police agency and medical supply affairs at Kuwait’s medicines among GCC countries, the cines from private pharmacies. Interpol said yesterday that Malaysia’s immi- Ministry of Health, Dr Omar Sayeed member states had agreed to work on Experts say that reducing the prices gration department had not checked passen- Omar, in his opening speech at the a mechanism to bring uniformity in the of medicines in Qatar and bringing gers’ passports against its database at all this 14th meeting of the GCC Committee prices. In 2012, they decided to import them on a par with prices in other GCC year prior to the disappearance of Malaysia for Medicine Prices, held in Kuwait on medicines jointly through common countries will also help the government Airlines Flight MH370. As a result, two pas- PAGEMarch 24, said 6 the members had studied tenders. check smuggling of medicines from sengers with stolen Austrian and Italian pass- 1,884 of a total of 2,966 medicines for In Qatar, prices of medicines are other countries. ports were able to board the plane, which fixing their prices. higher than in other countries in the See also page 2 vanished over the South China Sea on March 8, Interpol said in a statement. THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 MARCH 29, 2014 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home here is growing concern percent -- 10 percent for the whole- arises, and with the assistance of SCH. cardiovascular diseases, which about the high prices of salerBecause and 10 percent offor the a retailer.big whom it sees fit, may determine the People say that certain medicines require long-term treatment. medicines and pharmaceu- CHECK THE PRICE! Speaking to an Arabic daily, Ttical products in the coun- difference in prices, Mohamed Al Marri, a Qatari try, especially when compared with An Arabic daily recently published national, said: “Medicine prices in the prices in other GCC states. some nationals a comparison between prices this country are not reasonable. Many people are complaining of some medicines in Qatar and The differences are very high com- about the prices remaining high and expatriates are Saudi Arabia. pared to the neighbouring countries. despite steps taken by the Supreme Prices of some medicines in Qatar Council of Health (SCH) to reduce Medicine for are double or threefold of what they and control them. buying medicines are in neighbouring markets. Private On social media sites and in Arabic bone pain: pharmacy owners are exploiting the newspapers, people say medicines from neighbouring SAR36 | QR115 demand for some medicines that are much costlier in Qatar that in patients need to take regularly. neighbouring countries, especially countries. Medicine for “The law should be applied strictly, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab diabetes because medicine prices in Qatar are Emirates. the highest in the GCC and Arab Some Qatari nationals and expa- Medicine type 1: countries. This is forcing many peo- triates say they buy medicines from ple to bring medicines from neigh- the two neighbouring countries since SAR140 | QR317 bouring countries,” he added. they are much cheaper there than in Some are left wondering at the the local market. Medicine type 2: reason for the high prices of medi- In February, the SCH said that SAR70 | QR146 cines in Qatar. prices of regular medicines for car- Jassim Abdullah said: “Medicine diovascular and endocrine diseases Medicine type 3: prices in Qatar are high, but we don’t would be reduced in the near future. know the reason and we don’t see It said it would start fixing the whole- SAR146 | QR299 any move taken against this by the sale prices of these medicines, as is Medicine for cardi- authorities. I’m not sure if the reason done in the other GCC countries. behind this is a monopoly or lack of The move would reduce the prices ovascular disease awareness. People can forgo luxuries of regular medicines for cardiovascu- but they can’t live without medicines, lar and endocrine diseases in Qatar, Medicine type 1: especially those who suffer from bringing them closer to prices in SAR99 | QR137 chronic diseases, like cardiovascular other GCC countries, the SCH said. diseases.” The planned move appears to be Medicine type 2: Some have called for mandatory in accordance with a GCC plan to monitoring of medicine prices at pri- bring uniformity in prices of medi- SAR63 | QR105 vate pharmacies. cines in the member countries, which Nawaf Al Nadahika said: “Medicine is expected to reduce prices of medi- Medicine for prices are making people in Qatar cines in member countries, including hypertension suffer a lot. The government is doing Qatar. its best to give medicines free or at The GCC plan is aimed at reduc- Medicine type 1: normal prices at government hospi- ing medicine prices and maintaining SAR67 | QR125 tals. But private pharmacies sell at uniform prices and profit margins. high prices and prices also vary from The scheme will be implemented in Medicine type 2: one to another. stages, and the process of arriving “This situation has forced many at an agreement for uniform pricing SAR93 | QR154 people to bring medicines from may take more than four years.