Acute Saline Crisis in Rajshahi

An acute shortage of intravenous saline has developed in Rajshahi market. Saline is not available in pharmacies even after paying 3-4 times more money. The patient's relatives are moving from one pharmacy to another in search of saline. The crisis has arisen due to an increase in dengue patients in hospitals, a sudden increase in cholera or diarrhea, and a lack of regular supplies, said the concerned people.

Meanwhile, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) authorities say that patients admitted to the hospital do not have to buy saline from outside. Although the patient's relatives were seen coming out to buy saline.

Talking to the doctors, it is known that if there is dehydration in the body if there is diarrhea or cholera, or sometimes to keep the blood pressure stable, the doctors suggest the use of saline given intravenously. Dengue patients also need to be given saline regularly. A patient is given one to two liters of saline a day, some patients may need more.

Lakshmipur area of Rajshahi City is adjacent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Last Friday (September 15) evening in this market, at least 10 medical stores were asked if they had saline and they didn't.

Bangladesh Chemist and Druggist Association Rajshahi branch member Md. Fazlur Rahman said, there is a shortage of saline in the market for about a month. Companies in Rajshahi are not providing saline for a week. They assured the media that they would supply enough saline from next Sunday.

A salesperson of another pharmacy said that for a week, saline of 80 to 90 taka was sold up to 400 taka in Rajshahi market. He was also forced to sell at a high price. Because he also bought saline from the neighboring district at a higher price. He also said that traders are not keeping saline after consumer rights are raided in the medical shops.

On September 7, the assistant director of the district office of the National Consumer Rights Protection Department, Masum Ali, raided the medical shops in the Lakshmipur area. At that time, he fined two pharmacies named "Alif Lam Mim" and "Arogya Niketan" 60 thousand taka for selling 90 taka worth of saline for 200 taka.

Brigadier General FM Shamim Ahmed, director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said that there is no such crisis in the hospital now. Patients do not have to buy saline from outside. More sufficient saline will arrive on Sunday.