The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a media report that the treatment of lakhs of tuberculosis (TB) patients, especially children, across the country has been in jeopardy due to severe shortage of key TB drugs in the country over the past few weeks.
The commission has observed that the contents of the report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of right to health of the persons affected with TB and issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as Health Secretaries of all the State Governments/Union Territories. They have been given two weeks time to respond.
The Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary has also been directed to inform the status of availability of TB drugs in all the States as well as steps already taken by the Centre to overcome the acute shortage of the drugs in two categories – paediatrics and drug registrant TB or DR – TB. It is reported that under the TB treatment programme, the Centre is responsible for buying drugs and distributing them to the States, which then provide treatment.
Reportedly, the stock-out is a result of never ending issues that plague drug procurement and as per the opinion of the experts, unless the Government intervenes immediately, such shortage could prove disastrous.