Hepatitis C patients suffer as medicine out of stock at Civil Hospital

Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, February 10

Patients are a disturbed lot as the medicine for the Hepatitis C disease has been out of stock at the Civil Hospital for the last four months. It is the only Civil Hospital in the district where patients from the district get medicine.

District-level officials of the Health Department confirmed the non-availability of the medicine for the last four months. They said they had apprised the director of the department many times of the non-availability of medicine, but they only kept assuring them of making the medicine available to patients soon.

The officials said there were a total of 321 patients suffering from Hepatitis C and in the last four months, 273 more residents were diagnosed with Hepatitis C whose treatment had not been started as yet. The Hepatitis C specialist said only regular treatment could protect the patients.

Social activist Gurbhej Singh, former sarpanch of Plasaur village, said he had met officials of the district administration many times in the last four months, but the officials were not ready even to listen to them. The officials said the state government was doing its best to provide better health facilities through the Aam Admi Clinics.

When contacted Dr Adarashpal Kaur, Director, Health and Family Welfare, said a truck loaded with the medicine has left for the district and it would reach the hospital tomorrow (Sunday).

Hepatitis C patients living in Muradpur locality of the town are suffering a lot due to the non-availability of the medicine.