The Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani hospitals in Tamil Nadu are running out of all kinds of medicines for the last six months, forcing the patients to change their system of treatment. Some of the hospitals are dispensing very few medicines just to manage the functioning of the hospitals.

Major supply of medicines to these hospitals is done by the government owned company, Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms and Herbal Medicine Corporation Limited, (Tampcol), but for the last six months its supply has become weak because of several reasons.  Adding fuel to fire, the employees in Tampcol had resorted to strike last month, which was withdrawn later by the interference of the health secretary. Whereas, additional supplies are done by one private company on contractual service, which is also not delivering the medicines on time, the doctors of district and taluk hospitals told Pharmabiz.

“Improper and irregular supply of medicines by Tampcol is the main cause of the worsening situation of the government Siddha hospitals here. It cannot supply to all centres. All the hospitals and PHCs are experiencing the same situation. Some particular medicines are not being supplied for the last three months despite repeated intents. Previously there was one private company for contract supply and they used to deliver properly. Now the government has given contract to a new company which is unable to supply the medicines”, remarked some doctors.

A district medical officer from southern districts said large number of patients are coming with chronic ailments such as arthritis, skin diseases, psoriasis, eczema, leucoderma, etc. In addition to these, people suffering from viral fever are also coming for medication. The most moving and common medicine, Pinta Thailam, is not available in any of the hospitals in the state. It was supplied by Tampcol and used for Arthritis and body pain. But occasional supply is done to hospitals under NRHM, attached to allopathic PHCs, but that too is very limited.

When contacted, a senior officer at the ISM directorate said that two private companies, Nethaji Pharma, Dindukkal and Lekshmi Seva Sangham, Dindukkal, have been given assignment to supply medicines in addition to Tampcol and soon their delivery will be commenced. The officer added that the delay was mainly due to some internal issues of Tampcol which has been solved recently.

But when contacted,  an officer in the marketing department of Tampcol said that there is no shortage of medicines in the hospitals.  He refuted that there is neither discontinuation of supply, nor strike in the company and said that everything is going on smoothly. But he said if there is any problem, it will be sorted out soon.

According to sources, the government supplier, Tampcol is able to supply only 50 kinds of medicines. A minimum of 90 to 100 types of medicines are needed in a Taluk Hospital to prescribe medications for various diseases. Dr T Thirunarayanan, a Siddha medical researcher and Ayush scholar in the state said the ISM Hospital Pharmacopoeia mentions about 400 medicines and the Essential Drug List of Ayush describes 180 medicines.  He said it is high time for the government to interfere in the matter as the state has big tradition for Siddha method of treatment.

Besides this deteriorating condition, several hospitals and teaching institutions are reeling under severe shortage of medical officers and lecturers. This unfortunate state of affairs in the hospital-cum-colleges is adversely affecting the functioning of these institutions.