The medicine shortage is back to haunt the administration of associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) and is causing problems to the patients visiting the biggest hospital of the state. The Anti Rabies Vaccine (ARV), various syrups recommended to children and medicines given to the patients of psychiatry and mental disorders are off the shelf of the hospital. The hospital is facing problems due to non availability of the budget and the reluctance shown the health directorate to supply the medicine to the associated hospital of the medical college.
It is learnt that the stock of ARV) in the got exhausted on November 19. The ARV injection is administered to the animal bite victims so that they are free from rabies.
The associated hospital of DMC is the only Government facility in Dehradun and adjoining areas and 100-120 animal bite cases arrive daily to have the shot of vaccine. The ARV is very essential and is administered intra dermal or intra muscular four times in a fixed schedule. The vaccine is injected on 0, 3,7 and 28 day of animal bite. The vaccine is injected free of cost in the Government hospitals where there is facility of cold storage.
The syrups of antibiotics and other medicines recommended by the doctors to the children have also done a vanishing act. The patients of mental distress too are being asked to purchase medicines from outside.
The district Pharmacy officer, BP Kalura told The Pioneer that ARVs are in short supply but most of other medicines are available. He said that the company which was entrusted with supply of ARV is not able to supply the vaccine.
The administration of the hospital admits that the health directorate is now pulling its hands back from supply of medicines now.
It is worth mentioning here that in month of June this year the hospital was in grip of major crisis as it was stopped supplies by the health directorate on the plea that the hospital being a part of medical college is no longer under the health department. After a public furor the Chief Minister Harish Rawat intervened and directed the directorate to continue supping the medicines to the biggest hospital of the State.