Medicine stores in the city are out of drugs to treat swine flu with because of a nationwide demand for the medicines.

If a patient is confirmed to have swine flu, doctors prescribe him/her Oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu) if necessary. Till Thursday, 13 positive swine flu cases have been detected in Patna but most pharmaceutical shops in the city and even the hospitals don't have the drugs or vaccines to treat the disease in stock.

While the medicine stores plan to meet the demand according to the situation, health department officials sought to assure the residents of being well prepared to fight the flu.

Mamta Agrawal, the owner of Dadiji Medical Store on SP Verma Road, said: "We don't have Oseltamivir at our store. Two companies have told us they are short of the drug because of the nationwide demand for it. The officials have, however, told us that they would provide us with the drugs in the next three-four days."

Sona Medical Store near the Dakbungalow roundabout also does not have Oseltamivir in stock. An employee at the shop, Dhiraj Kumar, said: "We are not even planning to purchase the drug now. If we find its demand in the market, we would the place an order for it."

The stores also don't have the flu vaccine, which has a component to fight the H1N1 virus. As does the health department.

Government officials although said it was no reason to panic. All things necessary to treat swine flu would arrive in Patna very soon, they added.

Rajnish Kumar, the administrative officer at State Health Society, Bihar, said: "A consignment of 5,000 medicines (Oseltamivir) for swine flu would arrive in Patna by Thursday evening. Vaccines and personal protective equipment (including mask, head cap, apron, shoe cover and goggles) would arrive by Friday or Saturday. We are very serious in being prepared to fight the disease."

The department has also arranged for special flights so that the drugs, vaccines and other items necessary for swine flu treatment reach Patna on time.

According to a press release, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday also spoke to Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda over the phone and sought the Centre's help in fighting swine flu.