Levothyroxine, a drug for hypothyroidism patients, became scarce in recent months, causing difficulties for the patients.
Rabat – The Ministry of Health has announced the launch of a freephone number to give hypothyroidism patients better access to the Levothyroxine drug. The number is 0801 00 53 53.
The phone number will allow patients to find the drug more easily, as it is unavailable in several Moroccan pharmacies.
Hypothyroidism is a disorder where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of a particular hormone. It can cause a number of symptoms, including an inability to tolerate cold, a feeling of tiredness, constipation, depression, and weight gain. It can also cause swelling in the front part of the neck or goitres.
Levothyroxine, a manufactured form of the thyroid hormone, is necessary for hypothyroidism treatment because it counters the hormone deficiency.
In recent months, the drug became scarce in several regions of Morocco. It has been permanently out of stock in numerous pharmacies. The ministry explains that the reason behind the situation is bulk purchasing by patients. Several patients decided to buy extra boxes of the medication, fearing shortages.
The increasing demand caused difficulties in supply for Merck Maroc, the pharmaceutical lab that exclusively imports the drug to Morocco.
Calling the new phone number will give the patients information on the closest place where they can purchase the drug. Patients can also go to the ministry’s delegations to get the information.
“To facilitate access to the drug, the patients are invited to go to the Ministry of Health’s provincial delegations with their medical files and prescriptions,” said the ministry in a press release.
