Home / Health / Hospital Pharmacy Shortages Leave Patients Scrambling for Meds
Hospital Pharmacy Shortages Leave Patients Scrambling for Meds
1 Sep
Summary
- Patients at KGMU, Lucknow, face medicine shortages at subsidized stores.
- Lack of contract for some medicines leads to unavailability.
- Shortages increase out-of-pocket expenses for economically weaker patients.
Patients seeking affordable care at King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow are facing challenges due to shortages in the hospital's subsidized pharmacy network. Despite the presence of 28 hospital revolving fund (HRF) stores, patients and their relatives frequently allege being directed to purchase prescribed medicines and surgical items from private pharmacies located off-campus. This issue is particularly burdensome for patients traveling from across Uttar Pradesh and other states who rely on these subsidized options to manage treatment expenses.
Reportedly, specific items like endobags and needles have been unavailable at HRF stores, necessitating emergency purchases from private vendors. Similarly, patients undergoing long-term treatment have experienced intermittent unavailability of prescribed medicines at HRF locations, compelling them to buy from external pharmacies. The chairman of HRF explained that unavailability may stem from a lack of rate contracts for certain individual medicines or brands, which are fixed price agreements for procurement. He affirmed the HRF's commitment to providing quality medicines at lower prices for poor patients, aiming to reduce the financial strain of medical treatment.
