The father of a 15-year-old boy suffering from tuberculosis has been running from pillar to post for the past four months to get “free” medicines for his son

Mohammad Arif (name changed), a tailor and resident of Warsaliganj in Nawada district has no clue why he is repeatedly being sent away from the district tuberculosis office, which is supposed to provide him with free medicines for his son Abid (name changed) who is suffering from extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

“My monthly income is Rs 9,000. My son’s monthly medication costs around Rs 17,000. I spend most of my income buying medicines for him, but I have not been able to get him all his medicines. Every other day I am approaching the district tuberculosis office, which is supposed to provide me with free medicines, only to be sent away. The official there told me that they do not have the required medicines. They said they have forwarded my son’s file to the district magistrate (DM) with whose permission the medicines have to be bought. Only after that would they purchase the medicines. Four months is enough time to take such a decision. I think no step is being taken because of the officials ’insensitivity,” said Arif.

According to doctors, if patients diagnosed with Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis are not given proper medicines on time, it could prove fatal for them.

Noted physician Dr Diwakar Tejaswi, said it was important to administer the drugs to XDR-TB patients. “The chances of survival of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis patients are usually low. Drugs only help to increase the lifespan to some extent. For XDR-TB patients it is important to start taking drugs from the initial period of the disease. It is caused by bacteria and is airborne. So, patient can infect others.”

When The Telegraph asked the officials why Arif had not been provided with medicines, they started passing the buck on each other. K.K. Prasad, state tuberculosis officer, said: “I would have to find out why the DTO has not provided medicines to the patient. Maybe they are out of stock. But then he can restock after taking the permission of the DM, which would not take more than seven days.”