SIALKOT
There is no let up in the miseries of hepatitis and diabetes patients here due to the prolonged unavailability of vaccine and insulin for the last six months in the state-run health facilities across Sialkot district.
The patients are still deprived of vaccine and insulin for the last six consecutive months. The prolonged non-availability of hepatitis vaccine and insulin in all the government hospitals has become has left a big question mark on the performance of the Health Department.
The situation is aggregating day by day due to non-interest of the local elected representatives in solving the issue.
Meanwhile, scores of hepatitis and diabetes patients staged a protest demonstration in front of the Govt Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital against the government. They also staged a sit-in there. The protesters chanted anti-government slogans and demanded early provision of medicines.
The patients were of the view that the Health Department continued testing their patience as remained unable to provide direly needed vaccine and insulin. The patients including Sakeena Bibi, Maqsooda Bashir, Sughra Bibi, Ikramul Haq,  Muhamamd Iqbal, Bashir Hussain, Ghulam Hussain, Muhammad Sadique , Liaqat Maseeh, Noor Muhammad, Nasir Mehmood and Khalid Mehmood said that all the hepatitis and diabetic patients had been suffering great ordeal in getting hepatitis medical treatment in the DHQ and THQ hospitals, rural health centers and basic health units in Sialkot.
Local social, health, political and religious circles have expressed grave concern over the nasty situation, and said that the situation was getting worse day by day as every passing day was adding to the patients’ miseries. The affected patients, their attendants and general public have also expressed wonder that it was amazing to point out that the top officials of the Punjab Health Department including Khawaja Salman Rafiq, advisor to the Punjab CM, Jawad Rafiq, Punjab secretary health, and the director general health were not bothered to end the prolonged shortage of vaccine and insulin.
They added that vaccine and insulin was available at private medical stores at very high rates as they were fleecing the patients. They said that majority of the patients was poor while the purchasing of vaccines on inflated rates was unaffordable for them.
When contacted, EDO (Health) Dr Javaid Warraich and Principal Kh Muhammad Safdar Medical College Sialkot Dr Zafar Ali confirmed that hepatitis vaccine was not available in all the government hospitals in Sialkot for the last six months, while insulin for last three months.
The EDO said that the insulin was available in emergency wards of DHQ and THQ hospitals in Sialkot district meant only in emergencies. He stressed early provision of the hepatitis vaccine and insulin in Sialkot district’s government hospitals. The principal said that he had written to the Punjab health director general, urging him to ensure early provision of hepatitis vaccine and insulin.