Delhi: Essential medicines in short supply at Lok Nayak Hospital

The patients in the national capital are struggling as essential medicines are unavailable at one of the biggest Delhi government-run hospitals – Lok Nayak Hospital.

As per official sources at the hospital, essential medicines including Pantop, Esmel, hepatitis B vaccine, Rantac, and others are not available for nearly a month due to the shortage of supply.

Earlier in March, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh commanded all medical superintendents and health officials to speed up streamlining medicine procurement through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), which is overseen by the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the central government.

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To enable this, a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Centre, ensuring smooth procurement for all government hospitals. However, even after three months of the announcement, the patients in Delhi are struggling to get the medicines at the state government-run hospitals.

Speaking to Patriot, Raju Verma, 42, a construction worker from Narela, said, “I was prescribed Pantop for acidity and stomach ulcers, but the hospital pharmacy has been saying ‘out of stock’ for over a week now. It might seem like a simple medicine but skipping it has brought back severe pain. Buying it outside every day is not sustainable for someone like me who earns less than Rs 300 a day.”

“The doctor prescribed Esmel for my blood pressure, but it wasn’t available at the hospital. When I asked if there was an alternative, I was told to try the local chemist. The medicine costs are too huge for me to even buy a small strip outside. I’ve already skipped doses, and now I’m constantly dizzy. Isn’t the government supposed to ensure these basics?” said Rina Devi, 58, a domestic worker from Sangam Vihar.

“My newborn was due for a Hepatitis B vaccine, but we were told it’s not in stock and asked to check again next week. This is a critical vaccine — delaying it puts my baby at risk. We finally got it from a private clinic, but it cost Rs 1,200. Why should we have to pay when we come to a government hospital to avoid these costs?” another patient, Naseem Fatima, 26, a new mother from Jamia Nagar, asked.

Gopal Das, 61, a retired bus conductor from Karawal Nagar, said, “I’ve been dependent on Rantac for years due to chronic acidity, and it’s always been available at Lok Nayak — until now. I visited twice this week, and each time walked out empty-handed. These medicines might seem routine, but for us, they’re essential. How can we survive when even the basics run out?”

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However, responding to the matter, officials at the hospital stated that there was no medicine supply from the vendor. “We have to send the patients to the other pharmacies or Jan Aushadhi Kendra to get the medicine.”

Meanwhile, no official response was available from the hospital. The article will be updated as and when Patriot receives a response from hospital authorities.