The District Hospital in Bajhang has been reeling under an acute shortage of medicine, including life saving drugs and blood bags, due to Tarai banda and India’s unofficial blockade.

Hospital officials said that they are facing problems in providing treatment due to the shortage of blood bags. “It has led to problems in surgery and medication to serious patients,” said Medical Superintendent Dr Bishnu Khatiwada. “At least, three patients need blood every week but there is no any blood bag left in the hospital,” Khatiwada said.

Patients have been compelled to face risk due to the shortage. “Serious patients need to go to Dadeldhura or Dhangadhi due to the crisis,” Khatiwada said.

Bhanubhakta Joshi, acting chief of the District Public Health Office, said they also do not have BCG vaccine, which immunises children against tuberculosis. He also informed that health facility is facing the shortage of Paracetamol syrup, Digene, Metronidazol syrup and some other life saving drugs. Joshi said the there will be no medicine in the hospital if their store is not replenished within a week.

Meanwhile, hospitals in Banke have started distributing limited quanity of prescribed medicines to patients. District Public Health Office chief Dr Binod Kumar Giri said they are unable to provide the prescribed medicine in full quantity due to the shortage.

Government hospitals, health posts and primary health centres have been requesting patients to buy medicine from private drugs stores. Giri said they are unable to provide Paracetamol syrup, iron pills and some other essential medicine.