JAJARKOT: Jajarkot is reeling under the acute shortage of medicines amid the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection. Majority of pharmacies in the district are now closed due to lack of medicines and those open are in severe shortage of drugs including those used by patients of chronic ailments like asthma, hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes. The pharmacies have depleted their stock and have stopped getting regular delivery during the lockdown, informed Ratna Bahadur Gharti, a local pharmacy operator at the district headquarters Khalanga. It has been reported that not only pharmacies in the district headquarters but the pharmacies in rural areas of the district are suffering equally from the severe deficit of medicines. This shortage has especially affected children and chronic patients, claimed Arjun Adhikari, operator of David Medical Hall in Chedagadh. Some of the pharmacies are said to have shuttered their shops in the fear of being infected by the coronavirus. The pharmacy at the District hospital is also affected by the lessening stock of medicines, creating more problems to the patients, claimed local Kailash Singh Khatri. However, Jajarkot Chief District Officer Janakraj Panta urged the pharmacies to contact District Administration Office (DAO) if they are facing the medicine shortage and the Office will issue pass for them to transport medicines. Pharmacies have yet to contact the DAO to issue passes, claimed CDO Panta, adding that the Office will immediately issue them for delivery of essential goods such as medicines.