The deadly coronavirus; has stepped up out of the Chinese boundaries spreading across the globe with a sprint, and this time it’s Afghanistan’s turn to face-off this lethal disease. recently the health ministry of Afghanistan confirmed seven suspected cases identified in Heart province, and three more in the adjacent provinces, according to a report published by the Guardian , the affected person is a resident of Herat province who had returned from Qom in Iran, where the upsurge of coronavirus has already killed 16 people and dozen others infected. Although, Afghanistan’s national security council announced on Monday that all air roundtrips to Iran had been suspended and border been shut, where approximately 3000 people cross the border illegally every day.
However, the people bear brunt of the virus, because the country is lagging when it comes to technology and modernization and not at the stage to medically resist the disease. Businessmen; on the other hand, see this outbreak as a lucrative opportunity through mass production of anti-coronavirus masks and prioritizing quantity over quality to penetrate the market and make as much profit as they can through using skimming strategy of marketing, which indeed doubles threats for the people of getting infected by the virus or perhaps other infectious diseases.
Business is successful when its products and services are demanded highly by the market (Ron,2006) , likewise, the recent outbreak of coronavirus in Afghanistan has triggered a high demand for safety masks, this eruption is generally perceived as
a detrimental threat for life in Afghanistan. people; due to lack of preemptive measures required to be taken by the government are anxious about the emergence of other diseases predicted to be caused by an inevitable coronavirus, while the other facet of the gem is quite different, that is the businessmen skim the current free-market highly demanding for masks to avoid coronavirus infections. people are alarmed to take necessary control measures, so much so the industrialists leverage this opportunity.
However, the marketers claim, they do their best to approach the needs of customers and fulfill the demand of the market, on the contrary citizens slam the shopkeepers about an increase in the rate of inflation, many argue that fast-moving consuming products (FMCGs) that were sold between the price of Afs10 to Afs30 are now priced over Afs100. Besides, prices of vegetables that are prescribed by the doctors to be taken to avert the chances of coronavirus infections are also hit by a high rate of inflation.
Given the fast-track spread of coronavirus worldwide and earnest precautions from the Health Ministry, a local manufacturing company in Herat province started selling masks at a price ranging from Afs25 to Afs50, however, the price of a single mask normal days is Afs5. Mohammad Javeed Shirzad, the CEO of the company said: “We have been requested by the directorate of Health of Herat to manufacture masks and the high demand for the product due to the upsurge of coronavirus, which is why we have started producing and selling masks”. Mr. Shirzad furthered that he had undertaken the investment with his capital, however, he wanted to expand the business beyond the boundaries, but the decision was called off due to a massive demand for the product within the country, therefore, they have signed contracts with medical stores and retailers to supply them masks, which is why the company produces 60,000 unites daily to fulfill demand of the market, way more than the normal days.
The manufacturing firms; if will to sustain for a longer period, should not leverage the current market that is hit by inflation and instead lower their prices or with the same price improve quality of the products that are highly demanded by the customers, since customers direly need to buy the anti-coronavirus products to intercept its occurrence. Further, a less manufacturing cost should be considered while keeping in mind the efficiency and quality of the products rather than quantity that requires spending more cost.
