Cancer medicines have become scarce in Punjab’s government hospitals, causing hardship to the six thousand registered cancer patients due to the unavailability of drugs.
According to details, medicines for blood cancer patients, including Ruxolitinib and Everolimus, are also not available in government hospitals. The long term cancer treatment drug Nilotinib could not be supplied despite being purchased, leaving six thousand registered cancer patients in government hospitals distressed.
Due to the shortage of medicines, patients are being forced to buy expensive drugs. Free treatment for blood cancer patients had been initiated during the tenure of Shehbaz Sharif.
The Punjab Health Department said that the testing of one purchased cancer drug is underway, and once the test is completed, the supply will begin. For the remaining two medicines, the committee is further analyzing the drugs. Out of eight medicines under review, two were not purchased. The purchase of the remaining medicines will be decided once the committee finalizes its recommendations.
