Mingkaman Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) in Awerial County, Lakes State, has run out of tuberculosis (TB) drugs, a health official said.
The drugs are critical in the management and treatment of tuberculosis among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the host community.
Makuac Nyanahol, the clinical officer in charge of the tuberculosis program at the PHCC, told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that the facility lacks rifampicin and isoniazid, drugs that are essential in tuberculosis treatment.
He said the shortage began biting last week, forcing 81 patients who are in phase two of tuberculosis treatment to pause medication.
“This left some of the patients worried about complications that may arise if the supply takes long without any quick intervention, especially from the NGO health partners and the state and national governments,” he said.
Meanwhile, Arkangelo Ali, the Association Officer in Mingkman, said the drugs are out of stock in the whole country and not in Mingkaman alone.
“It is true that Mingkman PHCC has run out of RH drugs for TB patients. These drugs are given to TB patients for the final treatment and patients are required to take them for four months to complete the full course,” he explained. “This has caused a great worry now that patients will stay without these drugs for about two weeks. It may cause them to repeat the course by starting from the first phase to the second one.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, missing tuberculosis routine doses for some time may lead to failure of the treatment and a patient may be subjected to restart and continue the medication for more than 6 months.