RAUTAHAT: Health facilities in Rautahat district are reeling under acute shortage of essential medicines including the life-saving drugs due to the general strike enforced by the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) for the past one-and-a-half months. The district has been facing crisis of medicines after the transportation stayed off the road following the strike. According to Dr Prabin Jha of the District Hospital, Rautahat, patients have been hit hard due to the shortage of medicines. As the hospital run out of drugs, it has been facing difficulties to treat the patients, he shared. Though the Central Regional Health Directorate, Hetaunda has enough medicines, it could not be transported to the district owing to the general strike, Jha informed. Moreover, he said that the concerned authorities should resolve the problems as soon as possible.