Public health: Red tape takes its toll on dialysis patients
Dialysis equipment unavailable because of bulk purchase requirement.
BAHAWALPUR:
A shortage of dialysis medicine and kits at Bahawal Victoria Hospital has left many kidney patients visiting the public-sector facility inconvenienced for over two weeks.
Several people whose relatives regularly visit the hospital for dialysis told The Express Tribune that the medicine and the kit are also unavailable at most pharmacies in the market. A few that were selling these medicines and kits were charging exorbitant rates, they said.
Muhammad Aamir, a resident of Khairpur, said he had been spending Rs1,580 to purchase the medicine and the kit for his father’s dialysis twice a week for two weeks. Earlier, he said, these were provided by the hospital free-of-charge. He said his daily earning as a wage labourer was between Rs300 and Rs400. “I have to sustain my family on the meagre income. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep buying the medicine from the market for long,” he said.
Mian Aziz said he had to bring his mother Nusrat Bibi to the hospital twice a week for dialysis. He said the same medicine and kits were being sold by pharmacies in Multan for Rs1,280. He said his income from a small general store was just enough to feed his family and afford his children’s education.
BVH medical superintendent Dr Irshad said patients had to purchase the medicine and the kits on their own because of a lag in placement of orders. He said dialysis kits had been purchased and were now available at the Out-Patients Department. He said order for the medicines had also been placed and expected that the stock would be replenished in few days.
The medical superintendent said the delay was caused by a procedural requirement of the provincial government that medicines be always purchased in bulk. He said the hospital could no longer purchase medicines whenever its stock ran out. “We have been directed to purchase a year’s stock in four phases,” he said.
World Kidney Day observed with walks and seminars
Meanwhile, walks and seminars were held across the province to mark the World Kidney Day on Saturday. Speakers called for the need to educate people about preventive measures against kidney failure. They also highlighted the need for collective efforts to make treatment for kidney patients affordable.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2012.
A shortage of dialysis medicine and kits at Bahawal Victoria Hospital has left many kidney patients visiting the public-sector facility inconvenienced for over two weeks.
Several people whose relatives regularly visit the hospital for dialysis told The Express Tribune that the medicine and the kit are also unavailable at most pharmacies in the market. A few that were selling these medicines and kits were charging exorbitant rates, they said.
Muhammad Aamir, a resident of Khairpur, said he had been spending Rs1,580 to purchase the medicine and the kit for his father’s dialysis twice a week for two weeks. Earlier, he said, these were provided by the hospital free-of-charge. He said his daily earning as a wage labourer was between Rs300 and Rs400. “I have to sustain my family on the meagre income. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep buying the medicine from the market for long,” he said.
Mian Aziz said he had to bring his mother Nusrat Bibi to the hospital twice a week for dialysis. He said the same medicine and kits were being sold by pharmacies in Multan for Rs1,280. He said his income from a small general store was just enough to feed his family and afford his children’s education.
BVH medical superintendent Dr Irshad said patients had to purchase the medicine and the kits on their own because of a lag in placement of orders. He said dialysis kits had been purchased and were now available at the Out-Patients Department. He said order for the medicines had also been placed and expected that the stock would be replenished in few days.
The medical superintendent said the delay was caused by a procedural requirement of the provincial government that medicines be always purchased in bulk. He said the hospital could no longer purchase medicines whenever its stock ran out. “We have been directed to purchase a year’s stock in four phases,” he said.
World Kidney Day observed with walks and seminars
Meanwhile, walks and seminars were held across the province to mark the World Kidney Day on Saturday. Speakers called for the need to educate people about preventive measures against kidney failure. They also highlighted the need for collective efforts to make treatment for kidney patients affordable.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2012.