Several consignments of life-saving drugs and injections stuck on the highway since the Singur dharna was flagged off may not be of use any longer. For, medicine suppliers and hospitals fear that the consignments , which required refrigeration , could have been affected. Even after the drugs arrive, they will not be in a usable state, resulting in a loss for the distributors and a crisis at the hospitals.
"Generally, a consignment takes three to four days to arrive in Kolkata either from the northern or the western part of the country. The vehicles are designed and equipped to deliver keeping this transit period in consideration . The trucks have been stuck for more than a week now, meaning that period is over. It is unlikely that the required refrigeration has been maintained and the drugs kept intact. We are keeping our fingers crossed," said S B Purakayastha , CEO of Ruby General Hospital.
The hospital, he added, was running out of supplies and there was no news yet of consignments coming from supply points.
Several distributors faced a shortage of blood plasmarelated drugs, too. They were worried that since these products needed refrigeration , the consignments might have to be turned back. "There is a shortage of these medicines though the manufacturers have not revealed whether the trucks are stuck. These drugs may remain unaffected for 15 days in transit. But they are sure to rot after that," said Arun Kumar Singh of Vikas Pharmaceuticals that supplies medicines to several hospitals in the city.
Some suppliers were taking alternative routes and even sending medicines by air. "So far, we have not felt the pinch as some of our suppliers and manufacturers are sending medicines through other routes. But that pushes the costs up and those medicines being brought in refrigerated vehicles are a matter of concern . We shall have to be doubly careful about their quality now," said Rupak Barua of CMRI.
Last week, police had asked suppliers to arrange for smaller vehicles to carry medicines being transported in large trucks. But that could not be worked out.
