Govt-run pharmacy reeling under shortage of medicines

DHANGADHI: Locals have been complaining about the shortage of medicines in a government-run pharmacy in Dhangadhi, of late.

According to them, the pharmacy operated by Seti Zonal Hospital has been lacking a majority of medicines which are prescribed by the hospital doctors, forcing them to turn to private pharmacies.

A patient, Nageshwor Chaudhary of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City -11, complained that some of the medicines from his prescription has always been unavailable at the hospital pharmacy during his six visits to the hospital in a period of six months.

Chaudhary, who has been buying medicines from a private medical store, added that he was able to buy only one of the four medicines prescribed to him this time from the hospital pharmacy.

“How can a medicine be found in a private pharmacy but not in a government-run pharmacy?” Chaudhary complained. “What kind of management is this?”

Medicines are cheaper at the government pharmacy compared to the private, however, the pharmacy run by Seti Zonal Hospital with around 400 patients is deserted.

Meanwhile, private pharmacies nearby are crowded with patients.

An elderly patient -- who was supposed to get free medicines from the pharmacy on the basis of his senior citizen certificate -- had to purchase them from a private pharmacy paying its full price.

The pharmacy at the Zonal Hospital was established two years ago to provide medicines at discounted rates. But it could not provide the service as the supplier was not providing them with medicines on a regular basis, pharmacy in-charge Bharat Kunwar said.

In-charge Kunwar informed that there were around 100 types of medicines available in the pharmacy at the time of establishment which was increased to 1,219 this year. However, the problem has arisen due to a lack of regular supply.

Only two of the four companies have been supplying medicines regularly to the pharmacy. However, DB Medicine-Dhangadi that has a contract to supply 690 types of medicines and Drug Centre-Dhangadhi with a contract to supply 247 types of medicines have not been providing medicines on a regular basis, in-charge Kunwar claimed.

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(Translated by Sandeep Sen; Edited by Priyanka Adhikari)