Critical Drug Shortage Hits Teaching Hospitals Across Rayalaseema Region

A troubling drug shortage is currently impacting teaching hospitals across the Rayalaseema region, with similar supply chain crises emerging in other areas of the state. These institutions, which serve as the foundation of tertiary healthcare, are struggling to maintain adequate inventory levels of essential medicines. The situation is reportedly even more severe in secondary care facilities, such as area hospitals, community health centres, and primary health centres.

For several days, patients seeking treatment at government-run facilities have been compelled to purchase prescribed medication from private pharmacies. This follows consultations where doctors are unable to provide the necessary drugs because hospital pharmacies are depleted. According to official records, hospitals situated in Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa, Anantapur, Nellore, and Prakasam districts are equipped to stock approximately 660 varieties of medicine. However, current inventories in most of these locations have fallen to fewer than 300 types, leading to a widespread unavailability of vital pharmaceuticals.

Impact of the Drug Shortage on Patient Care

The drug shortage is significantly burdening patients who rely on these government institutions. An orthopaedic doctor at RIMS, Kadapa, noted that despite submitting multiple requests to the Directorate of Medical Education, the necessary supplies have failed to arrive. One patient reported spending ₹1,500 out-of-pocket for essential medicines after their mother successfully underwent surgery, as the hospital stock was empty.

Critical care is being severely compromised, with shortages reported across various medical departments. Essential items such as Oxytocin injections, which are critical for childbirth, have been out of stock for over a month. Additionally, fundamental supplies like sodium chloride IV fluids are unavailable. The scarcity of antibiotics is particularly alarming, with common treatments like Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid and Azithromycin missing from hospital shelves from Anantapur to Nellore.

Emergency medical services are also feeling the strain. An associate professor at Nandyal highlighted the difficulty in treating polytrauma patients in critical condition without the required antibiotics. Furthermore, life-saving medication for rare health conditions is absent; patients suffering from haemophilia are unable to access Factor VIII injections, which are too expensive for most families to purchase privately.

Medical staff have pointed toward systemic lapses in procurement and supply chain management. A general medicine officer at RIMS, Ongole, suggested that the issue stems from failures at the Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation, necessitating urgent intervention from senior authorities. Attempts to receive comments from the superintendent of Kurnool Government General Hospital, Dr. K. Venkateswarlu, remained unsuccessful as of the latest report.