Kerala, where a large number of people have recently been hospitalised for Chikungunya, is facing a severe shortage of medicines necessary for treating the deadly disease, thanks to the poor medicine procurement policy of the state government.

With Chikungunya affecting more and more and people in the state, the government medical camps set up in various parts of the state are facing shortage of medicine. It is reported that the state government is resorting to last minute ordering of medicines. The army camps on the other hand have good stock of medicines for the treatment of the disease.

"The army has both 'men and matter' ready with them for facing the calamity. They landed in Kerala with all the essential medicines and personnel, but the situation in the camps set up by the state is very poor. Doctors are prescribing the medicines which are not available in the government stock. This is sheer negligence from the part of the government," experts who observe the situation said.

They said that the shortage of medicine is due to the wrong policies of the state government in procuring the essential medicines. The government's procurement body does not take steps to store medicines to face calamities like this.

Meanwhile sources from the government said that the probable reason for the shortage would be because the manufacturers wouldn't have supplied the medicine to the Central Purchasing Committee (CPC) on time.

"The government had extended the contract period for purchasing the medicines by the CPC with the manufacturers by three months, as the proposed procurement corporation has not yet been formed. The CPC has also sent the orders, but the suppliers have not delivered the medicines for reasons well known to them," said sources.

Informed sources said that the medicines supplied through Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (KSDP) were the only ones that is available in plenty, but those from the other suppliers had not yet arrived.