A severe shortage of essential cancer medicines in Punjab’s public hospitals has left nearly 6,000 patients struggling to continue their treatment, causing widespread concern among families and health officials.
According to hospital sources, multiple life-saving oncology drugs — including those used for chemotherapy — have been unavailable for weeks due to delays in procurement and supply disruptions. Doctors warn that interruptions in treatment could lead to serious complications, disease progression, and reduced chances of recovery for thousands of patients.
Parents of young cancer patients, as well as adult patients undergoing long-term therapy, have appealed to the government to immediately restore supplies. Many say they are being forced to buy medicines from private pharmacies at unaffordable prices, while some drugs are unavailable even in the open market.
Health department officials acknowledge the crisis and say efforts are underway to resolve supply chain issues and speed up fresh procurement. However, medical experts fear that any further delay could worsen the situation and put more lives at risk.
Patients and advocacy groups have urged the Punjab government to introduce strict monitoring, transparent purchasing, and emergency stockpiles to prevent such shortages in the future.
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