For the past seven months, government hospitals in Balochistan have been deprived of essential medicines.
Medicines have run out in government hospitals across Balochistan, including Quetta. Over the last seven months, the health department has failed to procure medicines for hospitals. Despite orders issued by the Chief Minister of Balochistan fifteen days ago for immediate supply, the situation remains unchanged.
Medicines were exhausted in Balochistan’s government hospitals as early as April this year. Although a budget of two billion rupees was allocated for medicine procurement in the current fiscal year, six months have passed without any meaningful supply reaching the hospitals.
Due to this lack of availability, medicines are no longer accessible in hospitals across Balochistan. Even emergency departments are devoid of basic supplies like bandages.
Citizens have voiced complaints about severe shortages of medicines in the emergency departments of Quetta’s two major government hospitals. The state of Outpatient Departments (OPDs) has not improved either, and staff behavior towards patients has reportedly worsened.
Many residents allege that much of the limited stock of medicines is being redirected to CMH (Combined Military Hospital) facilities, which are military-run hospitals located within secure military cantonments. These facilities are few in number, often situated far from city centers, making access challenging for civilians, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. Reaching these hospitals is difficult due to strict security measures enforced by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan, and the costs for treatment at CMH facilities are often prohibitively high for poor citizens.
This redirection of medicines has further intensified the artificial shortage in public hospitals, leaving regular citizens without essential healthcare services.