Ayurvedic Medicine Shortage Hits Punjab, Ludhiana Dispensaries See OPD Fall

Ludhiana: Many Government Ayurvedic Dispensaries and Hospitals are facing a major medicine shortage that has resulted in misery for patients who were dependent on medicines from these establishments.

​The shortage has also resulted in a significant decline in the number of patients who visited the OPD for their health treatments. According to various reports, the footfall has declined by 30 per cent per day​

The last time the department obtained medicines was in December 2023, after which the department distributed them amongst the Ayurveda dispensaries and hospitals. But since then, no new batch of medicines has reached the government ayurvedic health facilities.

​According to The Tribune, experts have warned that if there is a continued medicine shortage in government ayurvedic dispensaries, it can hamper public trust in Ayurvedic Instituitions.

​These Ayurvedic dispensaries and government hospitals offer free medicine to patients. It was reported that many such institutions have exhausted their medicine stocks, and the few that are still able to offer the medicines have only a stock of 10-15 per cent left. Due to the ayurvedic medicine supply shortage in Ludhiana, the number of patients visiting the government ayurvedic dispensaries has also slumped.

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As people from Punjab are facing these difficulties due to the Ayurvedic Medicine shortage in Dispensaries and Government establishments, it was noted that many not only patients hesitated going to such facilities due to the discrepancy in ayurvedic medicines but also were told to buy medicines from outside upon their visit to the hospitals, making it a difficult situation for them.

According to reports, a few of the Ayurvedic dispensaries are seeing no more than 5-10 patients, making it a large decline in the number of patients that government hospitals usually cater to.

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The state of Punjab has a total of 524 Ayurvedic Dispensaries; 64 of these are situated in Ludhiana. Most of them are run by the state however a few of the ayurvedic dispensaries are run by National Health Mission.

​The doctors in the Ayurvedic Dispensaries are stretching themselves thin trying to help the patients in need because of the shortage of Ayurvedic Medicines. Many doctors have confirmed chipping in money with their fellow colleagues to produce a fund and buy Ayurvedic medicines for the less fortunate patients who are unable to buy medicines otherwise. Many NGOS are also coming forward with help during the shortage of Ayurvedic medicine in Ludhiana.

Dr Raman Khanna, District Ayurveda and Unani Officer with additional charge as Director Ayurveda, Punjab, has admitted that “The procurement process is underway; tenders have been floated, and medicines will reach dispensaries soon.”

(Rh/ARC)