Patients of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) have been affected as the Bheri Zonal Hospital in Nepalgunj has run out of the SCD medicines that were being made available to the patients for free of cost.

SCD patients complained that they were compelled to buy the medicines in pharmacies, with the hospital out of supply for the past one week.

SCD is a hereditary blood disorder common among the people from the Tharu community living in Dang, Bardiya, Kanchanpur, and Kailali districts. The disease causes patient’s red blood cells (RBC) to turn into stiff and abnormal sickle or crescent shape, instead of a normal disc shape with a hole in the middle, blocking 

blood flow into blood vessels and causing various complications.  

According to data of the Bheri Zonal Hospital, around 300 people in these districts are afflicted with SCD. 

Dr Rajan Pandey of the hospital was unable to distribute free of cost SCD medicines to the patients because the supply has stopped for some time.  

District Public Health Officer (DPHO) Khim Bahadur Khadka said while the hospital’s pharmacy was importing SCD medicines from various Indian companies and selling them to patients, the hospital itself has not distributed the medicines for free of cost. 

The medicines are not easily available so the hospital has been unable to run the government-announced free SCD medicine programme.

Khadka said the DPHO shall purchase a sufficient quantity of the medicine this year and make it available for free of cost from government hospitals and health posts. 

Two persons infected with dengue in Birgunj

Two persons have been diagnosed with dengue in Birgunj Metropolitan City of  Parsa district. The infections were reported in two patients from Nagwa area of Brigunj. They are undergoing treatment at Bhawani Hospital. Officials said Nagwa, Bhiswa, Inarwa, Pokhariya and Shreepur areas in the district are vulnerable to dengue infection. Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by dengue virus.