Health crisis grips KP as hospitals face critical medicine shortage

PESHAWAR: Hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are grappling with a severe shortage of essential medicines, according to official documents. The crisis includes a scarcity of immunoglobulins, anti-rabies vaccines, and emergency drugs, raising concerns about patient well-being.

Documents reveal that the non-availability of a snakebite vaccine poses a serious threat to lives, while the absence of funds has hindered the procurement of crucial medicines. The Directorate General of Health Services in Peshawar has informed the Secretary of Health about the financial difficulties exacerbating the situation.

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A staggering sum of Rs 9 billion is urgently required to address the medicine shortage, with arrears amounting to Rs 2.67 billion for previous medication purchases. Additional funds of Rs 6 billion are also pending release, as per official documents.

Despite a budget allocation of Rs 99.77 million in 2022 and 2023 by the Finance Department, concerns persist that this amount is insufficient to eliminate the pressing medicine shortage.

Hum News has initiated efforts to seek clarification from health authorities regarding the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, KP Governor Ghulam Ali has addressed the matter in a letter to Caretaker Chief Minister Arshad Hussain Shah, emphasising the dire consequences faced by impoverished individuals due to the lack of funds in hospitals.

“Poor people are facing difficulties due to lack of funds in hospitals,” the letter said, adding, “Finance Department and Health Department officials should be issued orders to release funds for hospitals”.

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The Governor’s letter stresses the urgent need for the officials to release funds promptly, ensuring the immediate supply of medicines and essential goods to hospitals. The scarcity of medicines has left the public anxious, with patients struggling to access necessary treatments.

In response to the escalating crisis, Governor Ghulam Ali also expressed hope that immediate steps will be taken to allocate the urgently needed Rs 9 billion, providing a lifeline to hospitals and alleviating the medicine shortage that threatens the well-being of the region’s residents.