The supply of injection to as many as 7,000 hepatitis patients under Sindh government’s control programme fell short, local media reported on Sunday.
According to reports, the injection supply was stopped despite approving budget of Rs 1 billion last year.
Khairpur city is suffering the most as hepatitis patients are relying on district government for their treatment but the medicines have not yet been purchased.
On the other hand, Sukkur administration has placed posters showing lack of hepatitis injections to avoid pressure from patients. he patients are also complaining that doctors are recommending expensive tests instead of giving free treatment.
Taking notice of the alarming situation, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah ordered early solution to the problem and directed the authorities to take action into the matter.
Earlier, Pakistan had authorised the import of an expensive Hepatitis-C drug from the United States to improve treatment for the estimated eight million people carrying the blood infection. Hailed by experts as a game-changer, Sovaldi, which has been on the market since 2013, costs around $1,000 per pill in the US or $84,000 for a single course of treatment, according to a US Senate report released last December.