Drug shortage hits Fatehabad Civil Hospital

Patients at the Fatehabad Civil Hospital are struggling to get basic medicines, even as crores of rupees are being spent on beautifying the facility. The shortage has left many patients without essential drugs and forced them to buy costly medicines from private stores.

With the onset of winter, the number of patients has increased sharply. However, the hospital has run out of common medicines for cough and cold, blood pressure and pain relief. Doctors continue to see patients, but the prescriptions they write cannot be filled inside the hospital. “What is the use of coming here if we have to buy every medicine from outside?” said one patient, who added that private hospitals are too expensive for poor people, and government hospitals are supposed to provide free medicines.

Sources said the hospital was facing a severe medicine shortage for over a month. The Health Department reportedly owed suppliers about Rs 2 crore, but only Rs 50 lakh was released recently, disrupting the regular supply chain. As a result, several essential medicines were unavailable in the pharmacy.

The crisis extends beyond the shortage of medicines. The hospital’s X-ray services have been unavailable for months, forcing patients to visit private diagnostic centres for scans. Although a new X-ray machine has been installed to replace the old, malfunctioning one, the electrical setup is still incomplete, delaying its operation.

Hospital sources said the machine was expected to become functional by next week, but until then, the patients would remain without X-ray facilities. “The hospital building looks new and shiny, but there are no medicines or working machines,” said a patient’s attendant, adding that the extra cost of private tests and medicines was placing a heavy burden on low-income families.

Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Budh Ram confirmed the shortage, saying that the hospital had already sent requests to replenish the stock. “Some common medicines are in short supply because they are used frequently. We have sent a demand to the department, and supplies will be restored soon,” he said.

Dr Budh Ram also acknowledged that the Health Department still owed Rs 2 crore, while only Rs 50 lakh had been received so far. “We have written to the higher authorities to clear the pending dues, and we expect the situation to improve soon,” he added.

He noted that around Rs 9.25 crore was being spent on the hospital’s beautification and renovation work, carried out by the Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Department. “Once the work is complete, the hospital will have a completely new look and improved facilities for the people of the district,” Dr Budh Ram said.

However, the patients and the residents have criticised the focus on infrastructure rather than essential services. “A beautiful hospital is of no use if the patients can’t get treatment,” said a resident. Many argued that improving the supply of medicines and repairing critical equipment should be the top priority.