Chhattisgarh: No ‘Surfactant’ Available To Save Lives Of Children Born With Week Lungs

Three hundred out of every thousand children in the state are prematurely delivered in the state. Respiratory dress syndrome; the lungs of such children are underdeveloped.There is no surfactant medicine in the state’s biggest Ambedkar hospital for the last six months.

Raipur: Three hundred out of every thousand children in the state are prematurely delivered in the state. The lungs of such children are underdeveloped and the condition is called respiratory dress syndrome. Unfortunately, the medicine required to save the lives of such children, surfactant, is unavailable in any government hospital or medical college across the state. There is no surfactant medicine in the state’s biggest Ambedkar hospital for the last six months.

Patients from economically weaker sections are facing difficulties. According to the Department of Medical Education (DME), a demand has been sent to Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation six months ago, but the drug has not been received medical institutions till now.

In 2021, 350 vials of medicine were made available to DME. After this, the medicine has not been given to hospitals. The tender process for the drug can take a long time and so Rs. 3.5 crores were given to the DME for the purchase of medicines.