TILOTTAMA, RUPANDEHI: The medical treatment of kala-azar patients has been hit hard by the shortage of drugs in the Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Butwal, since May 12. The drugs have not been made available although the hospital had informed the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control about the shortage of medicines affecting treatment to patients earlier. The Hospital Spokesperson Laxmi Raj Regmi shared that the unavailability of medicines has affected the medical treatment to Girisara Pun (21) of Tiram Rural Municipality-5 in Rupandehi district. There is no option for patients but to rely on the Division for drugs as the patients cannot buy Kala-azar medicines in the market.