| Swine Flu medicine goes missing from GMCH, reaches private medical shops | | | Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 24: With the outbreak of Swine Flu in Jammu and Kashmir demand for anti- H1N1 medicine has increased manifolds but same has gone missing in Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu and is being sold in the open market outside the hospital.
Highly placed sources in health department informed Early Times that anti- Swine Flu medicine is not being provided to the suspected cases in the hospital as it is not available there, but the medicine (Tamiflu) is being sold at some private drug stores."How the medicine has reached the private shops is a million dollar question", sources said, adding that chemist shop owners may have procured the same but it has been reliably learnt that some employees of GMCH have allegedly sold the government supply to private shop owners.
"With increasing number of deaths and over 100 confirmed cases in the state, the medical fraternity seems to be in a fix and has almost given up on Swine Flu", an insider said, adding that H1N1 positive and suspected patients were being treated like Guinea pigs.
Many patients had depressing stories to tell. "While going for sample test, I was directed to go to a room where a Swine Flu patient was critical, uncovered and unattended. Beds, diagnostic kits and other medical equipments were all left in the open," a patient said.
" Suspected patients visit the office Medical Superintendent, GMC Jammu daily but have to return disappointed due to non-availability of Tamiflu, drug necessary for H1N1 positive cases," said a doctor. He said that it is very unfortunate, despite huge need for medicine and other equipments to fight Swine Flu, the government has not placed the order to procure life saving drug. Medical Superintendent, GMC Jammu Dr R R Paul was not available for comment. |
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