Some essential medicines, including paracetamol tablets, and surgical items like absorbent cotton and gauge cloth for bandage were found to be in short supply in pharmacies of the primary health centres(PHCs) of the district.
Based on several complaints, a visit to some of the PHCs in the district on Saturday revealed that some frequently needed antibiotics too were not available. It was a cause of concern as the majority of the 100 to 150 patients visiting the PHC a day have upper respiratory or lower respiratory problems, and complain of fever too.
When checked with the officials of the central drug store of the Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation(APMIDC) in Anantapur, it was revealed that budgets for second and third quarters of the current financial year were not released from the State government, which had forced them to do some balancing act of sending medicines from one PHC to the other or to the Government General Hospital.
Annual budget for medicines
The releases have begun now in the fourth quarter, but it remains slow. The district PHCs have an annual budget of ₹45 crore for medicines.
For the GGH Anantapur, out of a budget of ₹6.65 crore for medicines, only ₹3.37 crore was released so far with only 50 days left in the financial year. Shortage of absorbent cotton was a common complaint and stores had got less than 50% of the allocated quantum of 100 gram and 500 gram bundles.
Government General Hospital Superintendent A. Jagannath told The Hindu that they had to make local purchases for several medicines and surgical items with the 20% of their budget allocated as their LP Fund.
“Since patients come from all corners of the district, requisition of medicines from other PHCs’ quota (where it is not used) was made to ensure the patients here do not suffer,” Dr. Jagannath added.
District Coordinator of Hospital Services(DCHS) Ramesh Nath said that they did not face acute shortage as they managed with local purchases, but surgical items were in short supply.
