District hospitals and primary health centres throughout Kerala are facing a serious shortage of essential medicines. In many of the district hospitals and PHCs in the state, patients are finding it difficult to get right treatment on time because of the non availability of medicines.

The situation has arisen with the discontinuation of Central Purchasing Committee (CPC) and formation of Kerala State Medical Services Corporation from April 1. CPC has been the agency procuring and supplying medicines to public hospitals and other government health establishments in the state so far.

Director of Health Services in the state had already directed the state government hospitals and other institutions to directly procure medicines locally and meet the requirements of medicines until the Corporation fully took charge of medicine supplies. But many of the superindendents in district hospitals have not been successful in procuring adequate of medicines so far. The shortage is caused because of this, informed sources pointed out.

The Director of Health Services, Dr K Shylaja said, "Arrangements have been made to purchase and supply the routine medicines and the hospital authorities have been given orders to purchase the medicine locally. The shortage of medicines will be over in a few days".

State Health Minister Sreemathy Teacher had earlier stated that the primary objective of establishing the Corporation is to ensure steady supply of essential drugs to the state healthcare system. That will also ensure some amount of transparency with regard to purchase and distribution of medicines and equipments.

Dr Dinesh Arora, managing director of the Corporation told Pharmabiz that strict orders were given to all medical superintendents of government hospitals in the state to purchase the essential drugs from outside if there is no stock. He admitted that there was some of shortage for some medicines during last month.

The sources said that the Department of Health has entered into a rate contract with a number of pharmaceutical companies to make available essential medications to every district hospitals and PHCs in the state.