The chemists’ strike coupled with unavailability of medicines in government hospitals compounded the woes of patients’ attendants, especially those who turned up at health care hubs such as Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Friday.

Chemists across the city downed shutters in support of the pan-India strike against the Union government’s decision of allowing online sale of medicines, the state government seemed unprepared as it had not addressed the drug crisis in government hospitals.

Sources confirmed that the Bihar Chemists and Druggists’ Association had on September 10 informed the health department about their decision to support the pan-India strike.

All medicine stores were shut except Dawa King on Govind Mitra Road. Private nursing homes, however, kept their drug stores open. The government medical college hospitals’ drug stores were also open. The Bihar Chemists and Druggists’ Association had claimed that Dawa King on Govind Mitra Road would sell emergency medicines but many patient’s attendants said they didn’t get medicines from there.

Raj Kumar Yadav couldn’t get Betnesol injection from the hospital’s drug store. He spent three hours searching on Ashok Rajpath and adjacent areas on Friday morning.

“My niece Indu, who is seven months pregnant, is admitted to the PMCH’s gynaecology ward. Doctors prescribed Betnesol injection as she is at the risk of developing pre-term labour. We have been told that anything can happen if we can’t arrange for it,” said Yadav. 'The chemists’ strike has definitely exposed the health care in hospitals such as PMCH where the common masses have to fend for themselves as many drugs are out of stock.”

The gynaecology head of PMCH, Dr Chander Kiran, said: “The injection is prescribed only for pre-labour cases when there is possibility that there will be pre-mature delivery and the premature baby will have weak lungs. The injection is now out of stock at the gynaecology emergency and it is not available in the hospital drug store due to which attendants had to face problems,” she said.

The president of Bihar Chemists and Druggists’ Association, Parsan Kumar Singh, said: “We had allowed only Dawa King to dispense emergency medicines during the strike. Dawa King also had a limited stock of drugs. So it should not be surprising if they couldn’t meet people’s demands. Today’s strike also proved that the state government cannot deal with a crisis if majority of drug stores are closed. Today’s strike was called not only against allowing e-pharmacies to run but also against the state government’s decision of cancelling licence of shops which do not have a pharmacist. It is not possible for every shop to have a pharmacist.”

Govt speak

Principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar, claimed initiatives were taken to cope with the crisis on Friday.

“We had spoken to the chemist association members and ensured that some shops remain out of the strike. So far as the existing drug crisis at government hospitals is concerned, health minister Mangal Pandey had given a November 16 deadline to the Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited to procure necessary drugs. As of now basic medicines are available in the indoor and the outpatient department,” he said.