Telangana’s healthcare system is facing a severe crisis, as the supply of essential medicines to government dispensaries has been severely disrupted. The shortage has left patients in distress and has forced many to turn to private pharmacies.
The issue stems from the Congress government’s failure to clear pending dues with medicine distributors, leading to a halt in supplies. Reports indicate that the government owes distributors a staggering Rs. 600 crore, a debt that has been outstanding since the Congress party assumed power. As a result, patients visiting major hospitals like Gandhi and Osmania are finding that only half of the prescribed medications are available, with even life-saving drugs in short supply.
Healthcare professionals are raising alarms, noting that some dispensaries have had to purchase emergency medicines out of their own budgets. Meanwhile, drug distribution agencies are voicing their frustrations, pointing out that the central government recently released Rs. 180 crore to dealers supplying medicines to ESI dispensaries, but the state government has only released Rs. 35 crore of this amount. The remaining Rs. 145 crore is still in limbo.
The situation, which began to escalate a few months ago, has now reached a critical point. For weeks, medical facilities have been relying on dwindling buffer stocks to manage the situation, but with seasonal diseases on the rise, the demand for medicines is surging.