CAIRO, Dec 21 (Aswat Masriya) -  Pharmacists syndicate sent a letter to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi calling him to ban increase in medicines prices.

"The letter calls on the president to immediately interfere in banning increase in medicines prices, whether local or imported," the syndicate said in a statement.

The parliament had formed a committee in November to examine medicines shortage in the Egyptian market, in the wake of local currency devaluation. 

The market has recently witnessed an acute shortage in imported medicines after their prices increased.

This came amid a decision in early November by the Central Bank of Egypt to fully free the foreign currency exchange rate according to supply and demand. On Tuesday, U.S. dollar exchange rate approached EGP 20 in some private banks. 

The syndicate demands forming a committee supervised by the presidency to include all concerned parties and specialists in medicines pricing to outline studies and visions for deciding medicines prices.

Furthermore, the syndicate denounced its exclusion from talks of cabinet talks on medicines prices, after it has been reported that the cabinet will finalise increasing medicines prices on Thursday; during its weekly meeting.