Earlier after Govt of Pakistan rejected the Re. 1 per table price increase demand for Panadol by Panadol manufacturers across Pakistan, they stopped producing the tablet as protest. That too at a time when it is needed badly everywhere, it is the season when normally Dengue is at its peak but this year things are worse. Worse with flood hitting vast areas of country, people being in camps and Dengue outbreaks in those camps. Also, in urban communities, there are news of worse dengue outbreak.
After the Panadol production stopped in times of high demand, naturally a shortage set in and it started disappearing from the medical stores and chemist shops across the country. Medical store owners were annoyed so much by people asking panadol again and again, I have seen them posting notices outside the shops, that Panadol is not available, so that people do not ask.
However, in a recent development in a meeting between health minister and representatives of Panadol making industry, it was decided that partial production of Panadol will resume. Partial due to the reason that Govt still rejected the price increase demand however, the raw material suppliers kicked in with some discount on raw material for producers.
This does not resolve the issue, but is enough to resume partial production of Panadol. According the manufacturers of Panadol full production will only resume after Govt allows them to increase the price of tablet, as they will remain in loss otherwise.