Balasore: Patients visiting district headquarters hospital here are facing a tough time as the pharmacists' strike rea-ched ninth day on Thursday.

As a result, the hospital is reeling from an acute shortage of pharmacists for giving drugs to the outdoor patients, while at the same time, shortage of medicines and other allied items has become another cause of concern.

On an average, about 800 patients visit the outdoor facility, while around 80 patients get admitted here every day.

Hospital sources said only two trained pharmacists and some trainees managed the medical facility as of now, while 21 trained pharmacists used to man it before the strike. The protesters are demanding pay revision and regularisation of job.

The hospital has 121 pharmacists against the sanctioned strength of 135. While 21 pharmacists are engaged in the district headquarters hospital, the remaining ones have been deployed in various health centres. At present, all the 121 pharmacists have been on cease work agitation since the past nine days.

As a fallout of the situation, a long queue in front of the Niramaya drugs distribution centre can be spotted here at any time of the day.

The patients have to wait for hours to get the free drugs from the counter.

Sources said the hospital's warehouse was facing shortage of oxygen cylinders and anti-rabies vaccine as these could not be procured because of the absence of pharmacists. Patients are forced to procure the anti-rabies vaccines from outside. Besides, the mobile health units, which are supposed to visit various villages, schools and health centres, are going without pharmacists.

Chief district medical officer Bibekananda Das said: "The strike has adversely affected the service to the patients. Two trained pharmacists, who were in the warehouse, got posted at the drugs distribution centre. The mobile health units are on the job with only one Ayush doctor in the absence of pharmacists."

"Oxygen cylinders have been procured, and we will also procure the medicines, which are either exhausted or likely to be exhausted soon," he said.

A pharmacist, on condition of anonymity, said the Niramaya centre should have 246 types of medicines for the outdoor patients. But, only 147 types were available now. "Several vital medicines are out of stock and not yet procured. The patients are facing serious inconveniences and buying those from outside with high price," he said.