TB Patients Fear A Possible Relapse Due To Shortage Of TB Drugs

The Tuberculosis Unit at the Upper East Regional Hospital has for over two weeks run out of drugs for the management and treatment of Tuberculosis.

Daily Guide visited the Hospitl and during one of the visits, some patients who had been discharged to continue their treatment at home, had come to the facility for their monthly drugs package, but were turned away.

Information gathered from the Nurses on duty indicated that, they have been waiting to hear from the Management of the Hospital, but what they(the Nurses) were gathering was that, the drug is not even available at the nation's medical store, where the Regional Hospitals get their supplies from.

Some of the patients and care givers expressed their worries and frustrations in the absence of the Tuberculosis drugs and called on the authorities in charge of Health Care delivery to experdite their actions to get the drugs into the facilities.

“I am here to pick the drugs for my father but there are indications that the drug is not coming anytime soon. I was here a week ago and today too, but still the drug is not available. My fear is now that, my father's condition may deteriorate. We need an urgent action.” A Care giver pleaded.

“I come from a far place for my drugs on monthly basis; this is my third time of coming. They have been telling me, it will come next week each time I visit, and yet I don’t see any sign. Nowadays, I cough than usual and I think this is a result of the suspension in the treatment. We cannot get this particular drug from the Drug Stores; I am frustrated now. Something needs to be done.” A Patient said.

The Medical Director of the Upper East Regional Hospital, Dr. Patrick Atobrah, in a brief response said, the shortage of the Tuberculosis Drugs is a National issue, but was yet to get a full picture of the situation in the Upper East Region.

“I think for the past two weeks the Hospital itself has run short of the drug. I was looking for some through the Regional Coordinator, apparently he was also on leave. There is an on-going mopping exercise in the districts where the number of patients is low. … the situation is really precarious, I learnt there are some on the high seas, but it has not yet come in; it is a National problem”. Dr. Atobrah explained.

Meanwhile, the drugs pack which has four components namely,  Isoniazid, Rifampin, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol is not sold anywhere in the open market.

Daily Guide has gathered that, as of Wednesday July 19, 2017, some few boxes were secured through the mopping and some few patients were served, leaving a larger number of patients without the drug and have no hope of getting the Tuberculosis Drugs soon.

From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga