HYDERABAD: With the date on restrictions on commercial sale and manufacture of life-saving drug Oxytocin nearing, the State Health Department has placed orders to procure three lakh ampoules of the drug which are sufficient for one quarter.
The drug is used to control postpartum haemorrhage (heavy bleeding after delivery), which is one of the cause of maternal mortality. From September 1, the drug meant for domestic purposes (for use within the country), will be manufactured by Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Limited (KAPL) alone, which is a public sector unit, and will not be sold at medical shops.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the restrictions have been brought in since the drug was being misused - administration of the drug to cattle to boost milk production. Registered hospitals and clinics in private and public sectors were advised to procure the drug from KAPL which manufactures it for human and veterinary use. Besides, it will be supplied to Pradhan Manthri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets. The ministry has issued a notice listing out the phone numbers of KAPL employees who can be contacted to place orders.
In Telangana, officials from the State Health Department who wanted to find the requirement of the drug at government hospitals got to know that more than 13 lakh ampoules would be needed in a year’s time.
The requirement of the drug has reportedly increased after the launch of KCR Kits scheme which had increased the number of institutional deliveries at government hospitals. Besides, officials contacted private drug stockists to know the number of Oxytocin doses procured by private hospitals.
Of the total share in the State, 58 per-cent are procured for government hospitals and the rest by private hospitals.“This financial year, government hospitals estimated that they would need over 13 lakh ampoules of Oxytocin. Around 3.25 lakh ampoules of the drug are currently available with Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMIDC).” In a month, around one lakh doses are required. Orders were placed to KAPL to supply three more lakh ampules,” officials from the Health Department said.