Shortage of CAPD Fluid Bags Leaves Dialysis Patients of KGH in Crisis

Visakhapatnam: Dialysis patients from throughout north Andhra, from Srikakulam to Alluri Sitarama Raju districts, are facing a growing healthcare crisis, as King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam is facing a severe shortage of Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) fluid bags. KGH is the primary referral centre for critical care of dialysis patients in the region. As it has been unable to meet the demand for these fluid bags, hundreds of patients relying on home-based dialysis are in distress. Deccan Chronicle sought clarification from officers of the APMSIDC (Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation) Pharmacy about the shortage. The officials revealed that while demand for CAPD fluid bags is 6,000, only about 2,000 bags are currently available. They say they have informed their superiors about the shortage. Efforts are on to find a resolution. But the shortage is having devastating consequences. Each individual requires approximately 90 bags per month. Purchasing them privately would cost between ₹30,000 and ₹35,000. Under the NTR Vaidya Seva scheme, these bags are provided free of charge. The scarcity of these bags has forced dialysis patients to make repeated, exhausting trips to KGH, hoping for the CAPD fluid bags that are hardly available. A patient’s husband N. Narayana Rao, who has made numerous trips to KGH to procure bags for his wife, stated, “Due to the shortage of CAPD fluid bags, many patients, who undergo dialysis at home, are facing severe difficulties.” Further, he pointed to the decline in quality of the fluid. In the past, the government supplied high-quality bags. Now, it is distributing bags made by Mitra Industries (P) Ltd., a company whose products had previously been banned in Andhra Pradesh. Narayana Rao pointed out that he has lodged a formal complaint with authorities, pointing out that both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal governments have banned Mitra’s CAPD fluid bags because of their low quality. Documents reviewed by Deccan Chronicle reveal troubling details about the company’s record. In March 2024, Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (TNMSC) directed Mitra Industries to withdraw a batch of CAPD solution after patients reported adverse effects, deeming it unfit for usage.

Earlier in August 2023, TNMSC had cited complaints, including of dust particles in the fluid. It pointed out that the firm had been conditionally debarred by the Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) from supplying products that are "Not of Standard Quality." Similarly, the Department of Health & Family Welfare in West Bengal disqualified Mitra Industries from participating in tenders due to the DGAFMS debarment. Narayana Rao stated that these communications highlight how other states have enforced strict quality control measures to protect patients. Many patients depending on KGH also complain about the shortage of CAPD fluid bags and their questionable quality.