Sir,
The tall claims made by the Union Health Minister of India and Health Minister J&K and Haemophilia Society including red cross seems to be hollow and practically nil on the ground. This can be judged from the treatment, the haemophilia patients get at Government Medical College Hospital Bakshi Nagar, Jammu where no doubt patients afflicted with this dreaded disease are admitted but the concerned doctors are helpless as there is no proper medical facility that is factor VIII available for the patient, even in the emergency wing.
Recently, I shifted a severe case of haemophilia to GMC, Jammu in Emergency Ward where doctors admitted the patient. One night was spent in Emergency Ward but there was no medication for the patient. Second Day, the patient was shifted to top floor of hospital Medicine Ward No. 5 where critical patient suffered more as no bed was available. After waiting for 5 hours a bed was managed where the patient was shifted. The patient was having internal bleeding in muscles and joints. A case of hereditary haemophilia and a case of bleeding disorder that slows the blood clotting, impairs the body ability to control blood, minor cuts and bruises and turn into prolong bleeding and re-bleeding including internal bleeding. Though there’s no cure for haemophilia but it can be controlled by regular treatment of factor VIII by injecting this medicine. The blood loss is controlled but it has to be monitored regularly. Here in our state there are many patients of this disease who are clamouring for treatment.
The junior doctors were seen helpless while attending the patient waiting for the senior doctor. After long wait senior doctor came on a routine round and diagnosed factor VIII and asked me to arrange medicine immediately. With dismay, I may say that the prescribed medicine is not available in the hospital, but in market at Rs 3000-4000. And it is very difficult for poor patients to arrange such a hefty sum. It is therefore, requested to the Health authorities to make this drug available in the hospital.
Yours etc…..
Kaushal Kotwal,
Jammu