Critical medicines shortage grips K-P

Hospitals go without anti-rabies injections, other essential drugs; DG urges release of Rs9b

PESHAWAR:

The financial crisis gripping Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s hospitals persists, severely impacting operations and exacerbating a critical shortage of medicines. According to official sources, the Director General of Health Services has urgently requested the government to release Rs9 billion on an emergency basis.

In a letter penned by Dr. Shaukat Ali, the Director General of Health, the provincial government’s attention is drawn to the alarming shortage of crucial supplies, including anti-rabies vaccines, immunoglobulins, and emergency medicines across hospitals in the province.

The letter underscores the dire consequences, with hospitals even lacking anti-snake bite injections, leading to tragic fatalities due to the inability to procure these life-saving drugs amid financial constraints.

Dr. Ali’s letter reveals that the Directorate of Health Services is burdened with a debt of Rs2.67 billion, accumulated from procuring medicines without settling dues with the suppliers. Urgently addressing this issue, the government is implored to allocate Rs6 billion to the directorate to settle outstanding payments promptly.

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Secretary of Health, Mehmood Aslam, when contacted, highlighted the provincial government’s struggle with a severe funding shortage, attributed to the prevailing economic recession nationwide. He emphasized that releasing the required funds is crucial to ensuring the smooth operation of hospitals. Notably, prominent healthcare institutions like Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and others in the province are grappling with the brunt of this financial crisis.

Despite the critical nature of the situation, the scarcity of emergency and essential medicines has led to confrontations between hospital staff and the relatives of patients.

Regrettably, these challenges have not garnered the attention they urgently require from relevant authorities, leaving the healthcare system in a precarious state. Immediate intervention is crucial to avert further deterioration and safeguard the well-being of patients relying on these vital medical services.

It may be recalled that healthcare services in outsourced hospitals across tribal districts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have reached a breaking point, with several facilities suspending their operations due to a distressing four-month delay in staff salary payments.

The Type-D hospital in Mohmand district is the latest addition to the list, with its entire medical staff refusing to work until their overdue salaries are settled.

A total of 19 hospitals in various tribal districts are operating under the public-private partnership model by the health department, and nearly all of them are facing financial issues resulting from withheld funds by the caretaker government.

An NGO’s report submitted to the health department highlighted the strike at the Type-D hospital in Mammadgat.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2024.