27000 Hepatitis patients deprived of medicines

Nearly 27000 patients suffering from Hepatitis all over Sindh province have been deprived of thier daily dose of critical injections and drugs since the 25th of March 2014. This crisis was created because the health department has of Sindh Government has not cleared the financial dues of the only supplier of Hepatitis kits in Sindh. As a result the supplier has eventually halted his supply operations.

The health department has not released funds to the Chief Minister's Initiative for Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme since the last three months (January to March). Thus, depriving the patients of drugs. Moreover, the payment of salaries for the government workers engaged in the programme have also been stopped.

The total dues payable for providing drugs and injections are Rs. 150 million. These drugs and injections are provided free-of-cost to the patients suffering from any kind of Hepatitis including; Hepatitis B, C and D. The patients of Hepatitis B, C and D are strictly advised not to delay their daily dose of these medicines, as it can seriously hamper their treatment process.

There are almost 27,000 hepatitis patients in the whole of Sindh province, who are entitled to receive free-of-cost treatment under this health support programme. These patients are catered through more than 50 centres established in Public Hospitals. The officials managing this programme stated, that they are making all possible efforts to resume the supply of these drugs as quickly as possible, despite the shortage of funds.