Kashmir’s haemophilia patients protest over critical medicine shortages

Srinagar, Apr 17: Haemophilia patients in Kashmir staged a protest in Srinagar on Thursday, alleging that they have been deprived of essential medicines for the past six months, putting their lives at serious risk.
Haemophilia patients from different parts of the valley, under the banner of the Haemophilia Society Kashmir, gathered here at Press Enclave and criticised the government for failing to make available the required medicines at Day Care Centre of SMHS Hospital.
Syed Majid Qadri, President Haemophilia Society Kashmir, said in October last year, GMC Srinagar sent a requisition to Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited for supplementary haemophilia drugs; however, the Corporation refused to supply these medicines, citing a lack of funds.
“The society then appealed to higher authorities, and three months ago, the Department of Health and Medical Education issued a formal letter instructing the Corporation to procure anti-hemophilic drugs. Despite this directive, the Corporation ignored the letter and failed to provide the required medicines,” he said.
More than two months ago, GMC Srinagar submitted another requisition to the Corporation for its annual demand of haemophilia drugs. “Even after passing of more than two months, the life-saving medications have not been delivered to the patients,’ he said.
Majid said the condition of many patients has deteriorated severely as their joints are damaged. “We fear that if they suffer a life-threatening bleed, it will be impossible to save them without these critical medicines,’ he said.
The day care centre frequently faces shortages of Factor-8 and Factor-9 drugs, leaving patients without essential medicines and exposing them to a heightened risk of fatalities.
Qadri said the number of haemophilia patients over the years has increased from 300 to 450, which requires an increase in drugs and they are at risk of bleeding due to a shortage of drugs.
“Haemophilia is itself a medical emergency, and the patients suffer owing to the delay in procurement of requisitioned drugs at the JKMSCL level. Timely availability of drugs is the only way that saves patients from any adversity and deformity,” he said.
Haemophilia patients complain that over the years, the concerned authorities have failed to frame a policy for them, due to which they often suffer. “The unnecessary prolonging of the issues at the hands of concerned authorities and their staff need to curb this approach so that the life-saving drugs are made available,” he said.
Majid also said J&K National Health Mission had also made a fund commitment for the procurement of anti-haemophilia drugs, but they have failed to release that money.
However, officials of JKMSCL said that in the FY 2022-23, haemophilia drugs worth Rs 16 crore were procured. This amount increased to Rs 24 crore in FY 2023-24 and further to Rs 32 crore in FY 2024-25, with Rs 27 crore allocated exclusively for GMC Srinagar.
In 2011, the J&K High Court had directed the health department to keep the factor available 24 hours in the hospital. But in complete disregard of the court’s directions, the anti-haemophilia factor often remains unavailable at the SMHS hospital, pushing patients to the wall.