Siliguri, Feb. 12: Procurement and supply of sodium stibogluconate injection, the only prescribed cure for kala-azar under the National Vector Bourne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), has been suspended in Darjeeling district since October.
District health officials fear the worst because the pre-monsoon season, when the disease usually strikes, is just around the corner.
Kala-azar, which is usually spread by sandflies, is endemic in several parts of Darjeeling. The number of cases recorded in the district in the last two years was 89 in 2002 and 110 in 2003. However, according to district officials, no death was reported from the disease in the last two years.
“Sodium stibogluconate injections are not being procured or supplied since October. The supply was suspended after the manufacture of the injection was stopped in the region. Leishmania donovani, the parasite that causes the disease, is spread by sandflies and pre and post monsoon are the seasons when outbreaks occur. As these seasons are approaching, we feel the supply of this life-saving therapeutic drug should be regularised immediately,” said deputy chief medical officer of Health-II, Darjeeling, Saibal Banerjee, who also supervises the NVBDCP in the district.
“Though the season for the occurrence of this disease begins in April, we need to maintain a stock for all through the year as there can be sporadic cases at any point of time. We had successfully treated all the 110 cases last year. But this year, since the drug is out of stock and the onset of the season is about to begin, we are urging the authorities to resume the supply,” Banerjee added.
According to the official reports, the disease is most prevalent in the tea belts of Naxalbari block (Jamindarguri), Phansidewa block and a few other areas of Kalimpong subdivision.
According to health officials, Gluconate India Ltd, a state government undertaking, used to manufacture the injection locally. But the production was stopped in October. This reportedly took place due to a financial crunch. Subsequently, the supply and procurement of the injection in the entire state came to a halt.
When The Telegraph contacted Darjeeling chief medical officer of health Taraknath Chattaraj, he said the district had sent its requirement of the drug and was waiting for funds to purchase it from the market. “The directorate of health service (DHS) has instructed us to procure the injections locally. We have sent the requirement with a market survey report quoting the price of the injections. We are now waiting for the fund with which we can buy the injections from the market,” Chattaraj said.
According to sources, health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra’s recent visit has helped to initiate the procurement process.
