Devender Yadav, the president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, has leveled serious accusations against the BJP-led administration, alleging a severe shortage of essential medicines for Thalassemia patients in government-run hospitals across the national capital. Yadav asserted that the non-availability of these life-saving drugs amounts to a grave lapse in governance and a violation of patients’ fundamental rights.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that Yadav expressed deep concern over the situation, stating that the lack of critical medications, including Desferal, is forcing patients to procure them from the open market at exorbitant costs, placing an unbearable financial burden on many families.
Yadav highlighted that under the current BJP administration, the unavailability of medicines for serious ailments like Thalassemia signifies negligence on the part of the government and its officials. He further pointed out that the responsibility for treatment costs is increasingly falling upon individuals from economically weaker sections of society, who are least equipped to bear such expenses.
The Delhi Congress chief elaborated on the financial implications, noting that an adult Thalassemia patient requires medicines costing approximately Rs 21,000 per month. He specified that a single injection of Desferal alone can cost around Rs 2,900. Patients with Thalassemia major necessitate regular blood transfusions, typically every two to four weeks, a procedure that is inherently expensive, particularly when undertaken in private healthcare facilities.
Yadav directly questioned the efficacy of the current health management, posing whether adequate arrangements could not be made within public hospitals to cater to the needs of the estimated 2,600 Thalassemia patients residing in Delhi. He also scrutinised the allocation and utilisation of funds within the health budget, questioning why resources were not being channelled towards the procurement of these crucial life-saving drugs.
Citing national statistics, Yadav informed that approximately 1 to 1.5 lakh Thalassemia patients are present across India, with an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 children being born with the condition annually. Within Delhi, the number of new cases reported each year stands at around 200.
The Congress leader further alleged a discrepancy between market availability and hospital supply, claiming that while the drug is readily available in the market, as previously acknowledged in the Rajya Sabha and confirmed by pharmaceutical companies, Delhi Government hospitals continue to face persistent supply issues. He called for a thorough inquiry into the reasons behind pharmaceutical manufacturers’ reluctance to participate in tenders for supplying medicines to government facilities.
In a direct appeal for immediate corrective action, Yadav urged the government to ensure the direct procurement of Thalassemia medicines from pharmaceutical companies. He stressed that such a measure is imperative to safeguard the lives and well-being of patients who depend on these treatments for survival.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
