Tamil Nadu government hospitals running short of critical medicines for pre-term babies
Surfactant medicines are essential to inflate the lungs of preterm babies in need of the therapy. Inquiries with a number of hospitals and doctors reveal that a number of centres have been facing short supply of surfactant drugs
Government hospitals in Tamil Nadu are grappling with a shortage of surfactant medicines, a crucial and life-saving drug for pre-term infants. This problem has been ongoing for several months, prompting the Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) at government hospitals to flag it to the Health Department. Surgeons explained that surfactant medicines are vital for inflating the lungs of preterm infants requiring therapy.
They employ external bovine or porcine surfactants (intratracheal) in preterm infants. These surfactants were part of the specialty drug rate contract purchases of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC). Reports from various hospitals and medical professionals reveal that numerous centres have been experiencing a lack of surfactants in recent months.
Official sources confirmed that government hospitals, including medical college hospitals in Theni, Dharmapuri, Tiruppur, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, and Karur districts, as well as Chennai, reported surfactant vial shortages. Another doctor commented that the shortage has been persistent for three to four months due to several reasons, including no allotment, incorrect requirement calculation based on average preterm births, and higher utilization.
A doctor at another hospital mentioned that continuous supply is not guaranteed, and the shortage happens frequently. They borrow from other sub-centres referring babies, sometimes purchasing privately using SNCU funds to save the babies. A senior paediatrician explained that after 34 weeks of gestation, the foetal lungs are typically mature enough to support oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange after birth.
However, in very preterm babies, the alveoli may not be sufficiently mature, making it difficult for them to maintain adequate oxygen levels. Lung maturity in a newborn is critical, as decreased oxygen could lead to hypoxia and conditions like retinopathy of prematurity and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The Health Department denied any shortage, stating there was no procurement delay.
They acknowledged that some centres may have miscalculated requirements or utilized more vials, leading them to obtain supplies from neighboring facilities.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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