Janakpuri Hospital faces shortage of 51 life-saving medicines

The 250-bed hospital, inaugurated in 2008 and spread over 8.82 acres, caters to a large population in west Delhi and depends heavily on free drug distribution

A severe shortage of 51 essential medicines has gripped Janakpuri Super Specialty Hospital (JSSH), a Delhi government-run facility, forcing hundreds of patients to either delay treatment or purchase medicines at steep prices from private pharmacies for the past month, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

The shortage is now pushing vulnerable patients to spend out-of-pocket, with many delaying care due to financial constraints (Shutterstock)

The pharmacy has issued a list, dated June 30 and accessed by HT, confirming the unavailability of 51 life-saving drugs at the hospital. The shortage includes acetylsalicylic acid (used to prevent heart attacks and strokes), amiodarone (for irregular heart rhythms), and levodopa-carbidopa (for Parkinson’s disease).

Other unavailable drugs include antibiotics such as amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (used for bacterial infections), insulin lispro (for diabetes), levothyroxine (for hypothyroidism), asthma inhalers, pantoprazole (for digestive issues), domperidone (for nausea and vomiting), and even ORS powder, crucial for dehydration treatment in children and the elderly.

“Some of the drugs not available in the list are essential at hospitals, including acetylsalicylic acid, which is given for cardiac arrest patients. It is called a load medicine and is required for emergency. Further, tramadol, a painkiller often used in emergency, is also unavailable. Non-availability of such drugs at the hospital will affect patient care for sure,” said a senior doctor at the emergency department of a Delhi government hospital, requesting anonymity.

Responding to the development, Delhi’s health minister Dr. Pankaj Singh said: “We have recently found out about the shortage of some of the essential drugs at the hospital. The shortage has not lasted more than a week, and we have already looked into the matter. It will be resolved in the coming days.”

Hospital authorities have not issued an official statement about the disruption or specified when normal supply would resume, despite repeated attempts to contact them.