King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow is currently facing a shortage of medicine for Hepatitis C patients, resulting in patients being forced to turn away or purchase medicines from the open market at a cost of around Rs 8,000-10,000. The university receives drugs from the Centre under the National Health Mission (NHM), but the existing stock is only enough for old patients. Around 200-250 HCV patients are being treated at KGMU, with an equal number of new patients being registered each month. Officials mentioned that the new stock was supposed to arrive 30 days ago but did not.
Professor Sumit Rungta, the Nodal officer for the Hepatitis control campaign at KGMU, explained that the current stock of medicine is inadequate to meet the demands of both existing and new patients, so they are currently distributing medication solely to registered patients, ensuring their treatment remains uninterrupted.
The shortage of medicine has delivered a heavy blow to new patients, who are disappointed and in urgent need of treatment. KGMU officials have submitted a request letter to the NHM calling for the urgent replenishment of the medicine stock.
Vikasendu Agrawal, the Nodal officer for the state Hepatitis control programme, stated that the demand has been lodged with the Central government, and fresh stock will arrive from Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and West Bengal in a day or two. However, the exact cause of the delay is unknown, but it might be because of the tendering process or an issue in the supply chain.
The situation’s gravity is highlighted by the three-month course of treatment for HCV at KGMU, emphasizing the significance of timely medicine arrival to begin treatment for new patients. The government must urgently resolve the shortage of medicine to avoid adding further stress on patients who are already grappling with this disease’s challenges.
