Karnataka HC notice to govt on thalassemia drug supply

BENGALURU: Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society of Bangalore and a city-based doctor have moved the Karnataka High Court, praying that it issue directions to the State Government to restore the regular and free supply of chelation drugs in government hospitals throughout the state, while ensuring that patients are given adequate, safe, free and timely blood transfusions.

The petitioners added that not all 17,000 victims of thalassemia in the state can afford treatment, and may be resigned to a painful and sad death, if the government fails to restore supply of the drugs, which has been irregular since 2018.

Hearing the petition filed by the society and Dr Namitha A Kumar, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued notice to the officials concerned. The petitioners also requested the court to issue directions to organise special camps at the district-level to ensure certification of thalassemia as a disability, and to distribute chelation drugs to patients and to carry out Covid vaccination on a priority basis.

The petitioner contended that a person suffering from Thalassemia has to spend Rs 1,000 to 1,500 a day to procure Chelation from the pharmacies in the open market, it has stated in the petition that the persons like the second petitioner noticed that there was a shortage of this drug as early as 2018.