Ayurvedic dispensaries sans drugs

The fate of ayurvedic dispensaries is once again at the crossroads. The dispensaries had received the medicines last year after a hiatus of four years following the Punjab and Haryana High Court lifting the stay on the procurement of medicines in March 2023.

Now, once again the stock of medicines has either gone dry or is about to get finished in these dispensaries, making the wait longer for both doctors and patients. Medicines are given free of cost to the patients and some dispensaries have finished off their stock, while others are left with 10-15 per cent of the stock. Due to the non-availability of the drugs, the number of patients visiting these dispensaries has dropped considerably.

There are 524 dispensaries in the state and 64 are in Ludhiana district, out of which 41 are being run by the state government, while the remaining are working under the National Health Mission. Left with no option, doctors are arranging the medicines on their own or taking the help of non-government organisations (NGOs). Sometimes patients are told to buy medicines from chemists in the market.

While on the one hand, the government is promoting alternative system of medicine, on the other hand, it has failed to supply the medicines regularly to ayurvedic dispensaries. There are 60 types of medicines that are given to these dispensaries.

Dr Hemant from Government Ayurvedic Hospital said it had been a year that they received the stock of the medicine. “We are left with some stock of medicines, while we are also arranging medicines on our own. We do not want the patients to return empty-handed,” he said.

In the absence of medicines, patients have slowly stopped coming to the dispensaries and the footfall has decreased to a large extent. “We do not have medicines. For some time, I procured medicines on my own and now it has become difficult for me to do so. How will we treat patients if we don’t have the required medication? Earlier, 40-50 patients used to visit the dispensary, but now the number has dropped to an average of five to 10,” said a doctor in charge of one of the ayurvedic dispensaries in the district. “I always used to visit the ayurvedic dispensary near my house for cold, cough and fever. Earlier, the medicines were given at the dispensary, but now they ask to buy these from the chemist, and the ayurvedic medicines if bought from outside, are very expensive. Left with no option, I have now started visiting a primary health centre near my home,” said Kusum, a resident of Haibowal. Ludhiana district, Ayurveda and Unani Officer, Dr Raman Khanna, said he was aware of the fact that ayurvedic dispensaries were running out of stock and he had already written to the department in this regard. It has been a year since they received the medicines. “I recently went to the head office in Chandigarh and lists for the required medicines were prepared and handed over to the official concerned. I hope the medicines will arrive soon,” he said.