Doctors have said that treatment at BP Koirala Cancer Hospital has been affected due to a shortage of carboplatin and cisplatin, which has created additional stress for patients and their families.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Patients and their families are facing further hardship due to the shortage of essential chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and cisplatin used in cancer treatment. Patients who come to the VP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur for treatment are forced to wander around in search of more medicine than treatment.
According to doctors, the main reason for the shortage of medicine is the global shortage of active ingredients (API) used in production, its price increase, and the increase in production and transportation costs due to the high cost of fuel. However, they say that importers have not been able to bring enough medicine as the selling price in Nepal has not been adjusted according to the cost.
Although the Department of Drug Management has made arrangements to provide the deficient medicines through 11 health institutions and medical institutions across the country, the supply has not been able to meet the demand. Raj Drug Pvt. Ltd. of Bharatpur has been given the responsibility for Chitwan. Although carboplatin is available there, it is much less than the demand, said Rajiv Thapa, the company's operator.
Ekla Mahato of Dhovaha, Madi Municipality-3, came to Bharatpur for the treatment of his daughter-in-law Manisha. After 24-year-old Manisha, who had started chemotherapy since last Magh, did not get the necessary medicine for her 11th round of treatment, they were forced to go to different places. 'I came on Monday, but the medicine was not available. After searching many places, I finally managed to get it and get treatment. I am worried whether I will get it next time or not,' said Ekla.
Poonam Mandal of Ramgopalpur in Mahottari also said that she had to stay in Bharatpur for four days due to lack of medicine during the treatment of her mother Rinku Kumari. 'In the second round, we did not get a single medicine. Even now, we found it only after searching a lot,' she said.
Omprakash Kumar of Chhipaharamai Rural Municipality-2 in Parsa said that he had to search for medicine for three days for his fourth round of chemotherapy. 'We have to fight the disease, and we have to struggle even harder to get medicine,' he said.
Ganesh Mukhiya, 37, of Sandhikharka-1 Srinagar in Arghakhanchi said that he has been facing a shortage of medicine for the last three-four rounds. 'If you wait in line, you won't get the medicine. You have to go out and look for it,' he said.
BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, considered the country's leading cancer treatment center, receives patients from all over the country and even from the bordering Indian regions. But doctors say that the lack of carboplatin and cisplatin has affected treatment management for the past month.
According to Dr. Gurusharan Shah, head of the medical oncology department, seven to eight out of 10 patients undergoing chemotherapy require these two drugs. Although the hospital receives about 400 patients undergoing chemotherapy every week, the available drugs are only enough for half of the patients. 'The government has made some temporary arrangements. But only half of the medicine is available in the market. In a way, there has been a shortage of carboplatin and cisplatin,' Dr. Shah said.
According to him, there are reports that some patients are forced to buy drugs that have even been imported illegally. 'Chemotherapy drugs should be stored at a temperature below 25 degrees Celsius. There may be a risk to the quality of the medicine brought in bags,' he said. According to Raj Drug Pvt. Ltd. operator Rajiv Thapa, 20 of 450 mg and 20 of 150 mg carboplatin were received on Wednesday. 'All 450 mg are finished. There is a demand for at least 40 in a day,' he said.
According to Dr. Shah, production worldwide has been affected due to the shortage of APIs used in the production of carboplatin and cisplatin and the increase in prices. With the increase in fuel prices, transportation and production costs have also increased. However, he said that importers have not been able to bring the medicine in sufficient quantities due to the lack of adjustment in the selling price in Nepal. 'There were already signs of its shortage. This is a medicine that has no effective alternative. Finding an alternative may lead to incomplete treatment of the patient,' he said.
Doctors suggest that if the price is adjusted according to the cost after discussing with the importer, the import of the medicine can increase. 'No one does business at a loss. For a long-term solution, the government needs to review the price structure and supply system,' he said. Due to the shortage of medicines, patients are facing problems such as having to buy medicines of questionable quality, having to purchase medicines from outside even if they are covered by health insurance, and having to face delays in treatment.
