LARKANA, June 6: Seven taluka hospitals and several rural health centres and basic health units in the district are facing an acute shortage of medicines due to reluctance on part of contractors to supply drugs.

EDO health Wahab Wadho told this correspondent on Saturday that his office had placed an order of procuring medicines worth Rs2 million to the lowest bidder three months back.

He said that the contractors were now apprehending losses which they could not afford. The EDO health in his letter on May 29 to the additional secretary health, who chairs the procurement committee, had pointed out the situation that the department faced inconvenience and lack of proper health care due to a shortage of medicines.

The district government had allocated Rs3 million to the EDO health for purchasing medicines, he said and added that orders for Rs2 million had already been awarded.

He feared that funds might be lapsed as the financial year was near closing. The official sought the help of additional secretary in expediting the matter. Yet in another letter to the additional secretary health, the EDO health called for an urgent supply of medicines of Rs500,000 as health facilities were running short of medicines.

The district government was pressing hard to purchase medicines within six days to avoid budgetary complications. District Nazim Khursheed Junejo in a letter to the additional secretary health on June 5 requested him for early supply of medicines as poor seeking health cover from BHUs, RHCs and taluka hospitals were facing problems.

He said that the early supply of medicines could only mitigate sufferings of patients with insufficient means.