Haemophilia patients of Dhanbad, Bokaro, Giridih, Jamtara, Godda etc, dependent on factor VIII, a medicine required to initiate blood clotting in haemophilic patients are in for a crisis due to lack of availability of the medicine at Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH).

Significantly, this medicine is unavailable in the open market and is expensive too, thereby making it difficult for the common man to purchase the medicine. Given the crunch at SNMMCH, over 200 patients have had to visit Ranchi to get treated at RIMS where the medicine is available.

Talking to The Telegraph Online today, Santosh Kumar Jaiswal President of Society of Haemophilia of Jharkhand said, “The hospital which caters to the demand for medicine for haemophilia patients of several districts is deprived of medicine for over a week. We have raised the issue before the state Director of NHM Dr VB Prasad and also with the medicine department of SNMMCH.”

“We have simultaneously informed the members of our society from these districts to reach to RIMS Ranchi to procure the medicine required for treatment of bleeding condition in Haemophilia A patients, which is also termed as Classic Haemophilia,” said Jaiswal. He added, that over 600 patients are registered with the society.

“We take this opportunity to appeal to the concerned authorities to ensure timely purchase of medicine as the delay in treatment is increasing the cost of treatment. More doses are required to control the bleeding condition.” He added that apart from RIMS, SNMMCH and MGM the medicine is also available at 10 other hospitals located in different districts having the facility of Integrated Haemophilia Treatment Centre.

“Since majority of Haemophilia A patients belong to economically deprived section of the society, it is not possible for them to visit Ranchi’s RIMS for treatment,” said Jaiswal. He added that the delay in visiting healthcare centres that are far off, may aggravate the condition of the patients.

“We are also pressing for the establishment of more Integrated Haemophilia Treatment Centres in each of the district of the state so that the treatment cost can be reduced wuth timely availability of treatment,” said Jaiswal. Apart from haemophilia treatment for patients, prophylaxis in children helps prevent knee damage.

When Dr VB Prasad Director NHM, was contacted, he said, “The medicine needs to be purchased at the district level, so we don’t have any role in this regard.” Adding to that, Dr Arun Kumar Barnwal said, “The medicine was available till recently. If there is a crisis for medicines then we will initiate the process to purchase very soon.”