THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government hospitals in the state are facing a severe shortage of medicines at a time when the number patients suffering from contagious diseases is on the rise. Health experts say that the underprivileged may suffer if the situation continues as many of them cannot afford to purchase medicines from pharmacies outside the hospital.
Apart from patients, health administrators, doctors and government pharmacists have also come out against the shortage of certain antibiotics, blood pressure regulating tablets, painkillers and cough syrup for children. The directorate of health services (DHS) and the directorate of medical education (DME) have started distributing available stock based on the need.
Health Minister Veena George on Friday played down the issue and blamed the distribution network for the shortage of drugs. However, top officials in the health department expressed concern. "We're distributing available stock in the wards. A state and a district-level team are actively involved in the process. However, there is no system in place to monitor the availability of drugs at the district-level," said a health department official.
“The hospital management committees have been asked to make emergency medicine purchases locally. Hospital superintendents consult with the doctors to make the purchases,” he added. “Shortage of syrups for children has forced the doctors to prescribe tablets. The parents have been asked to crush the tablet and feed it to the children. Cough syrups have been long gone from the pharmacy stock,” said a doctor.
The Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL) purchases the medicines from the market based on the intent placed by DHS and DME. An officer, familiar with the drug purchase of KMSCL, said the timely procurement was affected due to the financial crisis of the government.
“KMSCL owes a lot of money to drug suppliers. Some of them have stopped the supply altogether. As a short-term measure, we are trying to find new suppliers,” he added. Every year KMSCL purchases drugs for over Rs 300 crore.
Min blames distribution network
Though Health Minister Veena George on Friday blamed the distribution network for the shortage of drugs, top officials at the health department said they were distributing available stock in the wards