The acute shortage of morphine, which is given to cancer patients to relieve their pain, has put the lives of poor patients in misery and unbearable pain. Morphine is not available in the market and especially at government hospitals, which is really hurting the poor patients.

Morphine is not available in the market and especially at government hospitals, which is really hurting the poor patients.

According to details, the cancer patients at National Institute of Child Health (NICH), which is the biggest hospital for children in the country, are not getting this painkiller, which is adding to their woes. The cancer patients at NICH are being given free treatment with the help of Child Aid Association (CAA), an NGO, under public-private partnership.

Sources informed that acute shortage of Morphine for last few months is creating hurdles for doctors because this is given to cancer patients as a last option to relieve pain. "Morphine tablets or injections are given to those cancer patients at the last stage," said cancer specialist Dr Nizam Uddin. He added that these drugs are important for such patients who are not required treatment.

He said, "Patients and doctors are facing problems due to the unavailability of these tablets/injections since they are not available at medical stores." Dr Nizam said it is sad that opium and other drugs are easily available in the city but the registration procedure of morphine is very complicated.

President CAA said that their NGO approached the concerned drug inspector some six months back for the registration of morphine but he rejected the application and asked to follow the set procedure in this regard.

Since its inception in 2012, the authority which was supposed to be an independent regulator to facilitate the industry for registration etc has been in continuous quarrel over pricing, registration and other administrative issues resulting in severe shortage of many low priced drugs alternate of which are not only expensive but only available to elite thru means of illegal import etc, sources said.