SAHIWAL, Oct 4: The entire stock of Hepatitis B and C test kits and injections in the District Headquarters Hospital has finished as a result of which 2,460 patients confirmed positive by laboratory tests are running from pillar to post to get free medical treatment.

Under the prime minister’s free treatment and test for hepatitis programme, the government provided the DHQ hospital annual quota of 4,320 injections at the rate of 360 injections per month for 2007.

But, the quota provided by the government for twelve months was consumed in just nine months and there is no test kit or injection available at the DHQ hospital now.

The DHQ hospital had registered 550 patients for the treatment and 2,460 cases were kept on the waiting list after tests.

These 2,460 patients are now keen to get free medical treatment but the apparatus to provide such a treatment has finished.

The citizens and social circles have protested against the injudicious consumption of test kits and injections as scores of patients are not getting prompt treatment.

Not less than 24 patients of hepatitis have died during the recent past.

When contacted, Health Executive District Officer Dr Javed Omar said they would be in a position to resume providing free test and treatment to hepatitis patients only after receiving kits and injections’ quota for the year 2008.

However, he said, an effort was being made to procure injections and test kits from the provincial and the federal governments on emergency basis.

Meanwhile, the district government has curtailed the DHQ hospital’s annual budget by Rs14.1 million.

Citizens have appealed to the authorities concerned to provide free test kits and injections to the DHQ hospital urgently.

NEGLIGENCE: An infant died in the children’s ward of DHQ hospital due to alleged negligence of medical staff here on Wednesday night.