Patna, Dec. 9: The state health department would issue a letter to the officials at Anugraha Narayan Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) in Gaya and warn them about the unavailability of drugs required to treat patients suffering from Japanese encephalitis.

The drugs, which were unavailable for a few hours on Wednesday, have been made available later. Health secretary Sanjay Kumar told The Telegraph: “After we received reports that few medicines were not available at the hospital for a few hours yesterday, we instructed the authorities at ANMCH to purchase the drugs at once. We will also issue a letter to them on Monday, asking them to make sure that all the required drugs are made available to the patients without any hassles.”

Yesterday The Telegraph had reported that various essential drugs required for the management of the disease had remained unavailable for a good part of the day on Wednesday causing hassles to the attendants of many patients suffering from Japanese encephalitis.

Senior officials in the health department had clarified that the state government had given powers to the authorities at the hospital to buy medicines if there was any shortage of supply or if anything was found missing, action will be initiated against the responsible persons.

Sources at ANMCH told The Telegraph that attendant of new patient of suspected Japanese encephalitis, who was brought to the hospital on Wednesday, had to buy Mannitol injection from the market as hospital authorities said the drug was not available at the centre.