Health institutions run out of drugs in Madhes Province

Janakpur, April 7: The state-owned health institutions in Madhes Province have faced a shortage of medicines as the Health Supplies Centre failed to proceed with procurement on time.    

It is said that frequent changes in the Director at the Health Supplies Centre under the Ministry of Health and Population of the Madhes Province and the subsequent disputes resulted in the delay in drug purchase.    

Officials have shared that patients from the economically poor background have suffered for lack of drugs.    

Currently, the provincial hospitals in the districts of Madhes Province have provided services to patients by purchasing drugs from the hospitals' internal resources. However, the hospital authorities have shared that they have not been able to provide the drugs for free as promised by the government.    

Likewise, the laboratories established in 136 local levels by the Province Public Health Laboratory have faced challenges in running their services as they are running out of testing kits.    

The Chief Minister of Madhes Province, Satish Kumar Singh, said that processes have been forwarded for the supplies of drugs and hoped that supplies will be ensured sooner.    

The government has promised to provide 98 types of drugs for free but currently, only half of the drugs are being given to the patients currently.   (RSS)