Azerbaijan.US
In recent weeks, customers across Azerbaijan have reported difficulties finding certain medicines in pharmacies. The shortages mainly affect antiviral drugs, fever reducers and inhalation solutions – especially pediatric forms commonly prescribed during the cold and flu season.
Parents say the problem has lasted for several weeks. Doctors continue to prescribe standard treatments, but pharmacies often cannot fill those prescriptions, particularly for injectable or liquid medications.
Suppliers attribute the situation largely to seasonal factors. Winter typically brings a sharp rise in respiratory infections, and this year demand appears to have exceeded forecasts. As a result, some distributors were unprepared for the volume of medicines required.
The hardest-to-find products include drugs used in nebulizers, injectable medications and liquid antipyretics. These are widely used in treating children and patients with respiratory complications.
Health experts note that seasonal spikes alone do not fully explain the recurring shortages. They argue that the pharmaceutical supply chain requires better coordination with importers and more consistent stockpiling of essential medicines. According to specialists, similar issues tend to resurface almost every winter.
Experts also stress the importance of strict oversight throughout the entire lifecycle of medicines — from import and storage to distribution and sale. Certain drugs must be maintained within a cold-chain system, and any disruption can affect availability.
The Ministry of Health’s relevant expert authorities have stated that their mandate covers document verification, laboratory testing and approval of officially imported medicines. They also note that no formal complaints regarding shortages have been registered recently, adding that information on specific products should be requested directly from importing companies.
