Patients in jeopardy as hepatitis centre in Khairpur runs out of critical medicines

SUKKUR: The seriously sick patients of hepatitis A and C are running from pillar to post for critical medicines that are no more available at the Hepatitis Center Khairpur for almost a month, jeopardizing the life of thousands of patients.

The patients of Hepatitis A and C Virus have a daily requirement of the high priority medicines like Sofosbuvir, Ribavirin and Declatasvir to manage and cure the life threatening disease which is no more being supplied to the registered patients by the Hepatitis Centre.

Similarly, the centre has also run out of the essential kits and chemicals for the Polymerase Chain Reaction Test that are important to determine the viral load of the disease, making life extremely difficult for the patients in this city.

The patients approached the MS Hepatitis Centre, Khairpur, the DC Khairpur, health authorities and other government high-ups seeking redressal without any help. Both the medicines and the tests are very expensive and difficult to bear for most of the population in the open market.

According to the World Health Organisation, Khairpur has a high prevalence of Hepatitis B and C. It is a water borne disease and the fecal contamination of water and food is the main cause of spread of hepatitis A and C in the country. Criticising the local government, Khairpur, PTI leader Syed Sabit Ali Shah has demanded supply of the essential drugs and kits for the PCR laboratory.