Kozhikode: After a week of public outcry over medicine shortages, patients at Kozhikode Medical College can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Kerala government has stepped in to alleviate the situation by allocating Rs 1 crore to settle overdue payments to drug suppliers. This move brings hope to pharmacy staff that essential medicines, particularly those for critical illnesses like cancer, can resume distribution without delay.
The state owes a substantial sum of Rs 75 crore in arrears to pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines to the medical college. The disruption in supply had dire consequences for patients, who were compelled to pay significantly higher prices for essential medications. For instance, they were compelled to pay Rs 30,000 for cancer medicines that previously cost them only Rs 8,000. The state government is now addressing 8 months’ worth of overdue payments to rectify the situation.
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