PALPA, Nov 18: The government run health institutes in Palpa district are facing acute shortage of essential medicinal supplies for the past three months. 

The District Health Office (DHO) has failed to purchase the medicines on time resulting in the shortage since mid August. 

The patients have been forced to seek health services at the expensive private clinics. The patients supposed to receive medicines for free at the government owned health institutes are forced to buy medicines elsewhere after a medical checkup. 

The DHO has already launched the tender process of buying necessary medicines and surgical equipments under the primary health service revival programme of this fiscal year, shared DHO Information Official, Madhav Gyawali. 

The tender process will take at least three months, so the health institute management and administrative committee can hold a meeting to purchase essential medicines by remaining under the existing legal framework, Gyawali added. 

Although the government has promised free medicines, the patients are forced to seek service elsewhere due to shortage of medicines. RSS