Medicine Shortages and Soaring Prices: Who Protects Patients in Mauritius?

Mauritius is grappling with a growing medicines crisis — one that affects patients in both the public and private health sectors. Drug shortages are becoming more frequent, and the price of medicines available in private pharmacies continues to climb, leaving many families struggling to afford basic treatments. **What's happening?** Across the island, patients and healthcare professionals are reporting increasing difficulty in sourcing certain medications. The problem has two dimensions: shortages of specific drugs that are either unavailable or inconsistently stocked, and a sharp rise in the retail price of medicines sold through private pharmacies. The public health system, managed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, provides free medicines at government hospitals and community health centres. However, when stocks run out — which is happening with greater regularity — patients are directed to buy from private pharmacies, where prices can be significantly higher. **Why are prices rising?** Several factors are pushing up medicine costs in Mauritius. The island imports the vast majority of its pharmaceutical products, meaning it is highly exposed to global supply chain disruptions, currency fluctuations (particularly the depreciation of the Mauritian rupee against major currencies), and rising freight costs. When the rupee weakens against the euro or US dollar, the cost of importing medicines rises automatically. In the private sector, there is limited regulatory control over the retail price of medicines, giving pharmacies and distributors significant pricing flexibility. **Who is supposed to protect patients?** The Pharmacy Board of Mauritius is the statutory body responsible for regulating the pharmaceutical profession and overseeing the supply and quality of medicines. The Ministry of Health sets procurement policy for the public sector and maintains the national medicines list. Consumer protection falls partly under the Consumer Protection Act, administered by the Consumer Affairs Unit (CAU), which can investigate price gouging and unfair trade practices. However, medicines occupy a grey zone — they are regulated health products, not standard consumer goods — which can limit how effectively price controls are enforced. Civil society advocates and health professionals have called for clearer price-regulation mechanisms for essential medicines, a more transparent drug procurement process, and better public communication when specific medicines are out of stock. **What this means for patients** For ordinary Mauritians — especially the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and lower-income households — this combination of shortages and price increases is more than an inconvenience. It can mean delayed treatment, substituted medications, or going without entirely. Patients are advised to: - Ask their doctor whether a generic equivalent is available and covered by the public health system. - Report suspected price gouging to the Consumer Affairs Unit. - Check with their nearest community health centre before purchasing from a private pharmacy. The debate around how to better regulate medicine pricing and improve supply chain resilience is ongoing, with stakeholders calling on the government to take more decisive action to protect public health. Source: Le Defi Media