TOBA TEK SINGH, March 31: The treatment of over two dozen hepatitis C patients has been discontinued here due to non-availability of government funds for the purpose. The Punjab government had announced to spend Rs60,000 on each needy hepatitis patient’s treatment registered with the health department at district level for administration of 72 injections for his/her treatment. The treatment expenditures were to be paid from Baitul Maal fund.

The affected patients said they had been administered only 47 injections of the vaccine at a cost of Rs40,000 each when they were informed by the health authorities concerned that there were no more funds available for their treatment.

The patients deplored that due to non-availability of the funds, they could not be administered the remaining shots of the vaccine which could prove harmful for their already fragile health condition.

Saira Sadaf, a college student from Gojra, said she was feeling much better after getting 47 injections, but non-availability of funds for the remaining shots might cause resurgence of the disease.

Some other patients including a house wife, Uzma Tufail, a labourer, Asif Sultan, a salesman Muhammad Yousaf and a dispenser Naeem Sultan, were also worried due to the suspension of the required funds for their treatment.

When contacted, DHQ hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Tehmasap Zubair claimed that he had already written to the Baitul Maal officials concerned to issue more funds for completion of the patients’ treatment.

He said at present there were about two dozen hepatitis C patients were being provided injections from Baitul Mal funds in the district, while above 70 more needy persons had applied for the facility.

He apprehended that the incidence of the disease might be on the rise in the area which was resulting in an increase in the number of people seeking treatment facility. He hoped more funds would be issued soon for the patients.

The affected patients have urged Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to sympathetically consider the matter for an early issuance of the remaining funds for the completion of their treatment to save them from the fatal disease.