Extreme shortage of cetamol in Karnali

Recently, the third variant of Coronavirus Omicron has been increasing rapidly in Karnali. As the infection progresses, public health safety standards are not observed. Crowds of service seekers at government and public offices have not stopped. Citizens have been receiving services at health institutions, transport, land revenue, and election offices without any security precautions.

The District Administration Office, Surkhet, has already issued a 12-point order on January 15 to make the prevention, control, and treatment of Covid-19 more effective. The administration has not complied with the 12-point order not to have more than 25 participants in one place, to wear mandatory masks, and to carry out daily activities by maintaining a physical distance.

The rate of infection is increasing daily. In Birendranagar alone, 137 corona tests were performed on Thursday and 105 corona infections were confirmed. Although many have not tested the corona. According to the Directorate of Health Services, Karnali, a corona test conducted in 327 cases in Karnali on Thursday confirmed the infection in 112 cases.

 As the infection rate continues to rise, the artificial shortage of food, medicine, and other daily necessities of human life also increases.  In view of this situation, JIPRA had conducted a surprise visit to a drug supplier's shop in the main market of Surkhet on Thursday.

A team led by Surkhet Administrative Officer Nandaram Chaulagain visited the shops of Ram Medicine Distributor and Surgical Suppliers, KD Pharmacy, and Synergy Pharmacy in the main market of Virendranagar Municipality-6, Surkhet. In this context, it has been found that there is a shortage of cetamol in the market. "During the monitoring, no cetamol brand drug was found in Ram Medicine Distributor and Surgical Suppliers and KD Pharmacy," said Chaulagain, an administrative officer. He informed that 283 Steam or 2,830 tablets of Citamol were found in Synergy Pharmacy.

Dan Bahadur Rokay, proprietor of KD Pharmacy, said that the manufacturing company has shown a lack of cetamol in the market due to the price as the mixed item which has a slightly higher price than cetamol. "Paracetamol and codeine fasted are mixed in Kodopar," he said. According to proprietor Rokay, cetamol brand drugs have stopped coming from the second wave of Corona. Suman KC, Supervisor of Synergy Pharmacy, said that they have a small amount of Cetamol brand medicine and have stopped coming from the company recently.

Due to the non-availability of cetamol with pharmaceutical suppliers, there is an acute shortage of cetamol in Karnali. Due to the lack of it, consumers and patients are forced to pay six times more to buy Kodopar medicine. What is the stock of medicine in the market, what is the condition of sale, and what is the reason for the non-availability of cetamol? Administrative Officer Chaulagain said that they have been monitored to get the information. According to him, based on this situation, a review among the stakeholders and a plan for response, prevention, and control of the third wave of corona epidemic is being formulated. Dr. Hari Sharma of Consumer Rights Protection Forum, Janak Thapa, representative of Surkhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inspector of Police Lal Bahadur Sunar, Uday BC of Public Health Service Office Surkhet and Akash Tara Wayak of National Consumer Forum participated in the monitoring.