This refers to the editorial “ >Fighting a war without arms ” (July 1). The appalling shortage of life-saving TB and paediatric drugs in government hospitals across India is unfortunate. It is the government’s foremost responsibility to focus on public health issues, prevention, and efficient treatment of diseases.
TB is known to be drug resistant. The shortage of drugs will add to the woes of the patients who are in high-risk category. When will our official machinery get serious about those who are at the government’s mercy?
M.Y. Shariff,
Chennai
The drug stock-out issue has brought to the fore the pathetic state of health infrastructure in India.
Successive governments have failed to recognise health care as the most important social capital.
Prudhvi Raju Vegesna,
Chennai
All calamities in India seem to stem from man-made blunders. Shortage of life-saving TB drugs threatens decades of progress in the fight against it.
The government of India and the State governments should estimate the demand for TB drugs correctly and order them much in advance so that the manufacturers get enough time to supply them.
Rameeza A. Rasheed,
Chennai
