Pain over pain relievers

Health Ministry has denied recent reports about the shortage of a number of medicines at Salmaniya Medical Centre and public health centres while patients continue to complain over the issue.

The reports specifically mention morphine drug, which is mainly used to treat sickle cell patients at the the Hereditary Blood Disorder Centre in Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

Quoting a few SCD patients, the reports claimed they were given alternative drugs for morphine, such as Oxycodone, Tramadol and Pethidine.

The ministry affirmed in a statement released yesterday that “sufficient quantities of morphine are available at the ministry’s stores”, dismissing the newspapers’ claims.