DH Bandipora faces shortage of basic medicines; IV fluids, allege patients

Bandipora, Apr 15: The public medical store at Government District Hospital Bandipora is facing acute shortage of medicines and IV fluids which are provided on a free of cost basis to patients.
According to the details available, the shortage of the medicines in hospital drug stores have been forcing patients admitted in the wards and the outdoor patient department (OPD) visitors, to purchase prescribed medicines from private chemist shops at higher rates.
The only multi-specialty government hospital in the region, DH Bandipora largely caters to the health care needs of the people who can hardly afford expensive medical facilities in private hospitals and in clinics.
Locals alleged that the UT government had launched the free medicine scheme in all government health institutions but shortage of providing the essential drugs has exposed the inability of the health department to provide better health facilities.
Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent DH Bandipora dr, Sheikh Mushtaq however denied the allegations by patients and said that there is no shortage of medicines and fluids in the hospital but are available in bulk quantity.
However, as this correspondent visited the hospital after repeated requests of locals, the staffer at IPD section refused to give IV fluids to patients by saying that “this is only for emergency patients.” (KNO)