Kidney patients await free medicine

Srikakulam: Kidney patients in Uddanam area in the district have been waiting for free medicine for the last one year. After Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s visit to Uddanam to highlight the plight of kidney patients there, the state government initiated preventive measures as part of which it conducted a survey in all the 179 villages in Itchapuram, Kaviti, Kanchili, Mandasa, Palasa, Vajrapukotturu mandals.

As many as 1,01,593 patients were tested by medical teams for the survey and 13,093 among them were found to have been suffering from the chronic kidney disease. Later, the government assured to provide safe drinking water, monthly pension and medicine for free to the identified kidney patients.

According to medical experts, 27 types of medicines are required for patients in the form of tablets and injections. The district medical and health department estimated that Rs 35 crore is needed to provide all kinds of medicine to the patients for six months.

Training is also needed for doctors at all the six primary health centres (PHC) in Uddanam area where patients are concentrated to prescribe these medicine properly to patients. Kidney patients who are suffering from four advanced stages have to use the medicine. “Out of the total 27 types of medicine, 18 types of medicines have reached six PHCs in Uddanam area.

We are waiting for another three types of medicines and the government has directed us to purchase the remaining six types of medicines. We will procure all types of medicines in a week,” district medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr Sanapala Tirupathi Rao told The Hans India.

District coordinator for health services Dr Boddepalli Surya Rao also said the medicines would be distributed to the patients soon once the remaining kinds of medicines were procured.