ANTI-MALARIA DRUG HARD TO COME BY FOR ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

NEW DELHI: A day after India allowed limited exports of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, officials across several states insisted there is no shortage of the drug. But Jaipur resident Ritesh Sharma and many others, who have rheumatoid arthritis and take hydroxychloroquine to treat it, say local chemists have run out of its stocks. The drug has been in demand after preliminary trials in China suggested it boosted the recovery of coronavirus.

NEWDELHI:A day after India said it will allow limited exports of the anti-malaria hydroxychloroquine, officials across several states insisted there is no shortage of the drug. Hydroxychloroquine has emerged as the most sought-after medicine after preliminary trials in China suggested it boosted recovery and lowered the severity of the coronavirus disease.

The limited exports were allowed after US president Donald Trump requested the supply of the drug from India in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Trump also warned of retaliation if India did not take up his request.

On Wednesday, HT did a reality check across states on the availability of the medicine amid complaints by patients about its shortage. Here, is a summary of reports from various states:

KERALA

The Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd, the state’s medicine and medical equipment procurement agency, managing director Dr S R Dileep Kumar said they have enough stock of the hydroxychloroquine tablets. “We got 1.2 million tablets last week and placed the order for another five lakh that we will get next week,” he said. But medical outlets said their stocks have exhausted after people started buying in panic. The health department has asked medical shops to supply the tablets only to those with prescriptions.

RAJASTHAN

Jaipur-resident, Ritesh Sharma, 44, who has been having hydroxycholoquinine for 10 years, said local chemists have run out. Sharma has rheumatoid arthritis. Hydroxychloroquine is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis to slow its progression.

The shortage prompted the Rajasthan government to acquire all stocks of hydroxycholoquine from stockists, wholesalers and retailers. It later asked officials to return 25% of the stocks to pharmacists. “Total allocation of 4.5 million tablets has been made to the state [Rajasthan] and this will be delivered in phases until the end of April,” said Union health ministry officer on special duty Sudhansh Pant.

SHORTAGE PROMPTED THE RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT TO ACQUIRE ALL STOCKS OF HYDROXYCHOLOQUINE FROM STOCKISTS, WHOLESALERS AND RETAILERS

MADHYA PRADESH

Vikas Sadana, a chemist in Bhopal, said hydroxycholoquinine was unavailable as wholesale dealers have stopped supplying it citing a government restriction. “We are unable to provide it to patients,” he said.

MP’s additional director (health) Sapna Lovanshi said, “We have enough stock in government hospitals. There is no complaint from any hospital about shortage of the medicine.”

ODISHA

Chemists in Odisha said the medicine was in short supply after the government asked dealers not to supply it to retail pharmacies. Dibakar Sahu, a chemist in Bhubaneswar, said they are no longer giving it without prescriptions.

Drugs controller Mamina Patnaik said so far the state government has diverted around 8 lakh tablets to Odisha State Medical

Corporation so it can be used for Covid-19 patients.

GOA

Doctors in Goa said the medicine is unavailable even for private practitioners. “We have the stock but we are reserving it for those who really need it like doctors and have stopped selling it over the counter as the fresh stock has not arrived,” said Albert D’Sa, the president of the Chemists and Druggists Association of Goa.

JHARKHAND

Chemists in Ranchi said hydroxycholoquinine was unavailable at shops. “The distributors started refusing its supply since March, citing government restrictions,” said Sandeep Rajgharia, a pharmacy owner.

Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences superintendent Vivek Kashyap said, “We have enough stock of the medicine to meet demand irrespective of requirement.”

ASSAM

Assam’s food and drugs department officials said there is adequate stock of the medicine as of now. “Chemists are allowed to sell the drug to patients based on prescriptions and sale without any doctor’s advice is not allowed. We have enough stock of hydroxycholoquinine in the state right now,” said Harendra Nath Sarma, inspector of drugs, directorate of health service, Assam.

BIHAR

Dr Amulya Kumar Singh, an orthopedician in Patna, said transportation issues during the lockdown led to an artificial scarcity, especially with some wholesalers hoarding the drug.

OTHER STATES

There were also reports of a shortage of the medicine at chemist shops from Uttarkhand, UP, West Bengal and Punjab.