Karnal TB patients struggle with shortage of medicines

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora

Karnal, April 17

Patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB) are facing acute shortage of medicines across the district, leaving them high and dry in the absence of the required treatment.

Non-availability of drugs

In the absence of supply from the state, we purchase medicine from the local market. We have already placed an order for the medicines. Simmi Kapoor, Deputy Civil Surgeon (TB)

As per information collected by The Tribune, there has been no supply of TB medicines for the past over one month, due to which the patients have been been left to fend for themselves. However, the authorities claim that they generally try to manage the shortage with local purchase, but now sufficient medicine is not available in the market also, due to which government healthcare facilities are struggling to meet the escalating demand for essential TB drugs. “In the absence of supply from the state, we purchase medicine from the local market. We have already placed an order for the medicines,” says Simmi Kapoor, Deputy Civil Surgeon (TB).

According to information, there are nearly 2,200 patients who are undergoing treatment in Karnal district alone. It is among the top five districts which has done commendable work in elimination of TB. Each patient is provided medicine for one week during the six-month treatment which requires consistent and timely dosage to prevent its spread and mitigate its adverse effects on people and communities.

Not willing to be identified, husband of a 42-year-old woman of the city says that even after making several rounds of the hospital, they have failed to get the medicine.

“The authorities should take the shortage very seriously, otherwise TB elimination will only remain a dream,” says another patient.

Another patient, on condition of anonymity, says that he had gone to the TB department for medicine, but it was not available. “I was told that the medicine has not been supplied by the state agencies due to which authorities are not able to disburse it,” he adds.

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