Medicine Shortage Hits Govt. Nizamia General Hospital, Outpatient Footfall Drops Sharply
Severe Medicine Shortage at Nizamia Hospital Forces Patients to Buy Prescriptions Outside
Hyderabad: A 45-year-old woman walked out of the outpatient (OP) block at Government Nizamia General Hospital, asking her husband where she could purchase the medicines prescribed to her. She was among several patients forced to return without medicines due to a severe shortage of medicines at the hospital.
“I came to consult the doctor for a skin rash. The medicines he prescribed are not available here. We have to buy them outside,” she said.
As the medicine shortage worsens, the 180-bed hospital, which earlier handled nearly 1,200 outpatients daily, is now seeing only 300-400 patients.
Inside the OP block, a duty doctor was seen erasing names of medicines unavailable on Thursday and updating the list for Friday. The outpatient pharmacy room remained deserted.
Hospital superintendent Dr J. Vasanth Rao said the director of Ayush had submitted a proposal of Rs 1 crore for medicine procurement. Once the supplies arrive, they will be distributed to three Unani hospitals in Charminar, Hanumonda and Nizamabad. “There is a shortage only for outpatients. Inpatients are being supplied medicines,” he said.
However, a source said officials keep assuring that medicines will arrive, but current stocks remain critically low. The medicines available, as per the source, were for diabetes, Zaranbad powder, Jawarish Safra Shikam for gastric issues, Majun-e-Ushba and Majun-e-Muqawwi-e-Reham (for uterine health). “The list changes daily. Doctors can prescribe only what is available,” the source added.
The source further pointed out that the hospital urgently needs an exclusive budget. “Medicines given here are taken from Unani dispensaries across the state. Earlier, the hospital prepared its own medicines, but the pharmacy is now non-functional, and there is a severe shortage of Unani pharmacists,” the source said.
Government Nizamia Tibbi College has been flagged by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) for multiple faculty shortages. The shortage includes 16 higher faculty and two lower faculty vacancies in core teaching departments such as Kulliyat, Ilmul Advia, Ilmul Saidla and Jarahat.
PG departments report one higher faculty vacancy each in Kulliyat, Ilmul Advia and Tahaffuzi-wa-Samaji. 10 non-teaching vacancies, including lab technicians, museum keepers, attendants and multipurpose workers. 38 vacant hospital posts, including nurses, registrars, specialists, microbiologists and Ilaj-bit-Tadbeer staff.
“These shortages have severely affected both academic and hospital functioning,” said Dr Syed Zainullabeddin Khan, general secretary, Old Boys Association, Government Nizamia Tibbi College and Hospital.
