Shortage of painkiller at Ambala hospital

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, September 6

Acute shortage of pentazocine injections, a pre-medication drug used in surgeries to give relief to patients in severe pain, at the local Civil Hospital has left the district health authorities worried. Sources say the current stock is less and fresh supply is not available.

A senior health official says, “It is an important drug as it is administered to patients in case of severe pain and before surgeries. It is used during family planning operations too and its shortage will affect family planning camps.”

“The drug has not been supplied to the district hospital for some time. Efforts have been made to procure it from the local market too but it is not available. The drug falls under the Schedule-H and a lot of formalities are required to sell it,” the official says.

“The drug cannot be sold in the open market freely without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner, as drug addicts too consume it,” the health official adds.

A chemist in Ambala Cantonment says, “Pentazocine is generally provided at hospitals. Since its demand is not constant while the margin is very low, chemists don’t procure and sell it often. The drug is stocked only as per the requirement and that too in small quantities.”

Chief Medical Officer Vinod Gupta says, “There is shortage of pentazocine and efforts are on to procure it. The drug is supplied to hospitals by a warehouse but it seems it also does not have its sufficient quantity. The higher authorities have been informed about the situation.”