Srinagar, Jul 14: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has directed the Principal, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, to immediately address the shortage of life-saving Hemophilia drugs—Factor VIII and Emicizumab so that no patient suffers for want of these medicines.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani issued the direction after it was informed that about 300 patients are being adversely affected due to the deficiency.
The Bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking court’s intervention to direct the authorities to immediately ensure uninterrupted availability and supply of anti-haemophilic drugs and essential clotting factor concentrates to Government Medical College, Srinagar and all other designated treatment centers across the Jammu & Kashmir
As the matter came up, senior advocate T H Khawaja, appearing for the Hemophilia Society of Kashmir that has filed the PIL through its President, submitted that there was an acute shortage of Factor VIII and Emicizumab at GMC Srinagar, leaving the Hemophilia patients without access to essential treatment.
In response to the submission, the Court directed the Principal, GMC Srinagar, to file within two weeks an affidavit indicating the steps taken to address the deficiency.
If any requisition for the medicines had already been made by the Principal, GMC Srinagar, the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) or any other authority responsible for procurement and supply must respond without any avoidable delay, the court said.
