KANCHANPUR: The Kanchanpur District Public Health Office is facing a shortage of essential medicines since long ago in the district due to the budget crunch. The district needs the budget of over Rs 54 million to purchase the medicines, but the office just has received Rs 5.7 million for the same. Despite the government's strong instructions to the concerned bodies not to let the shortage of medicines disrupt services, the health centres are yet to receive the cost-free medicines provided by the government. Senior Public Health Officer Shivadutta Bhatta shared that the office was facing the budget crunch to purchase the essential medicines. He added that the concerned authorities had not been able to supply the medicines to the rural areas as the purchasing process itself was too lengthy.