Algerian Hospitals suffer dangerous lack of emergency drugs

Algiers- A number of Doctors and managers of hospitals warned in a statement to Echorouk of a significant scarcity of medicines, especially in medical emergency and recovery, leaving hundreds of patients in critical health situation.

In this context, Mr.Mystafa Khayati, head of the national body for promoting heath and developing research “FORAM”, who is also chairman of the department of Pediatrics in Mostfa Pacha Hospital, said that the medicines of recovery, anesthesia, cancer treatment, blood diseases, and medical emergency, noticed a dangerous scarcity.

For his part, professor Hamidani, head of the orthopedic department at Blida hospital, warned of the complications which may occur if the scarcity of these important medicines will continue; “I contacted some of the managers of hospitals in Algiers, and confirm that there is a dangerous scarcity in medicines which paralyzes some medical services and resulted in a negative impact on many patients who need urgent treatment”, he asserted.

Algerian doctors criticized the ministry’s statements which denied the scarcity of medicines, at the time the majority of hospitals across the country are suffering. For their part, many heads of federations and associations of chronic diseases express their concern over the scarcity of medicines, including the head of the Algerian Association for people with hemophilia, Mr. Yekhlef Noureddine, who said; “Many patients died and become disabled due to the dangerous lack of medicines, especially “Factor VIII” which is essential blood clotting factor also known as anti-hemophilic factor (AHF)”.

Heads of some medical departments also asserted that they refuse receiving patients due to the scarcity of medicines, calling upon the Ministry of Health to intervene urgently in order to save the lives of hundreds of patients, who are waiting for treatment since months and need urgent health care.