Govt hospitals allowed to procure saline from mkt

The government hospitals have been given the permission to procure saline directly from the local markets as the state-owned pharmaceutical company is unable to supply the lifesaving medicine adequately in the wake of increased pressure of dengue patients.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has started giving no objection letters (NOCs) to the hospitals in this regard, said officials of the DGHS.
The DGHS has also started giving financial assistance to the hospitals to ensure sufficient arrangement of saline for treating dengue patients.
The state-owned Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) could not supply required quantity of saline to the government hospitals due to sudden increase in demand.
That is why hospitals are being given financial support to procure saline directly from outside to deal with the ongoing dengue outbreak, said Director General of DGHS Prof Dr ABM Khurshid Alam.
NOC is being given to the hospitals for this, he added while talking to reporters emerging from an event in the city on Sunday.
In response to the allegation of selling the lifesaving medicine, saline, in the market at a hiked price, he said it is not his office's responsibility to monitor or control the price.
"We can't do it (monitor and control the price). Those who are responsible and designated will do it," he added.
Over a similar allegation of selling dengue testing kits at a higher price, he claimed that each of the government hospitals has been provided with sufficient number of kits and they have sufficient kits in their hands.
"I don't know who is buying those from where at higher prices. But we have enough kits." the chief of DGHS said.
Meanwhile, at a media briefing by the DGHA on the same day DGHS line director DGHS Prof Shahadat Hossain claimed that the DGHS was taking measures to deal with the saline crisis in public and private hospitals.
The Drug Administration has been informed about this and DGHS is monitoring why the crisis is and where high prices are being charged, he said.
The health official also believed that the dengue situation may improve and patients' agonies will decrease by the end of August.
He said, "Last year dengue situation started to improve in October. But this time it could be in August."
Meanwhile, the government on Sunday reported 10 more deaths due to the mosquito-borne disease, including 7 deaths from Dhaka city.
With the new fatalities, the death toll from dengue fever crossed 313, including 248 from Dhaka, according to the DGHS.
Besides, 2,764 new dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours ending on Sunday.
Of the total, 1,078 were from Dhaka.
UNB adds: On the other hand, DGHS expressed optimism that the number of dengue cases could decrease if the disease is effectively dealt with during the month of August.
Professor Dr. Md. Shahadat Hossain, the Director of the DGHS addressed the ongoing dengue infection situation in the country during a virtual press briefing on Sunday.
Dr. Hossain noted that disease outbreaks typically have a peak and then gradually subside, but the timing may vary each year.
"Last year, dengue cases started declining in October, but this year, there is hope it could be as early as August. Tackling the dengue outbreak in August would bring some relief and enable a more comfortable situation for the public," he said.
Discussing the current situation, he highlighted that dengue cases increased continuously throughout July.
"However, in Dhaka, the number of cases has stabilised compared to the previous period. Although there is an increase in cases outside Dhaka, the rate of increase is not as high as before, providing a stable point for managing patients. The goal is to move from this stable point to a decline in cases, which would alleviate the burden on hospitals," he said.
Regarding the City Corporation's introduction of a new drug to combat Aedes mosquitoes, Dr. Hossain said that he was not fully aware of the current situation in the City Corporation.
"The drugs introduced by the City Corporation undergo rigorous testing for their effectiveness before being used. I hope that the new drug's efficacy had also been thoroughly tested," he said.
Amid the ongoing dengue situation, the scarcity of liquid saline in many hospitals has emerged as a concern. Patients are facing high costs in procuring and using saline for treatment.
Dr. Hossain said that the issue of saline shortage is not solely dependent on the DGHS.
"It involves collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, the Directorate General of Drug Administration and other organizations. Coordination among these entities is crucial to address the saline shortage effectively," he said.
"The matter of saline does not solely rely on the DGHS. There is a substantial private sector involved, along with the Directorate General of Drug Administration. A high level of coordination is necessary, and our ministry is actively working towards achieving that goal," he added.

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