Nagar Reporter: There is an extreme crisis of DNS salinity in Chittagong. Saline is not available in drugstores in the city. Patients are in trouble. Available in some stores but selling at high prices. Since the outbreak of dengue, the demand for this saline in the market has increased several times more than normal. There have been allegations that some traders have syndicated and created a crisis in the market by selling at high prices. Shopkeepers said that companies are not able to supply saline in proportion to demand.
This has created a crisis in the market. While some traders get direct supplies from drug companies, common shopkeepers do not get saline at all. Saline of 100 rupees is being sold at several times the higher price. Although general shopkeepers do not receive complaints from shopkeepers, certain drug dealers have saline in stock. They are buying directly from the company. Later, creating a crisis in the market, they sell at higher prices. General shopkeepers are not getting saline supplies. Buyers are returning without receiving Many patients are not getting saline even after searching in various places for an urgent need.
Normal DNS saline is usually supplied on the market. Various pharmaceutical companies supply this saline. This saline is given to patients suffering from common diseases, including operations. This saline is sold in the market for 100 rupees. But after the outbreak of dengue, the demand for this saline increased in the market. This saline has to be given to dengue patients. The sudden increase in demand has created an extreme crisis in the market. Companies could not produce in proportion to market demand. After the dengue outbreak increased, some unscrupulous shopkeepers stocked up to take advantage of the increased demand in the market.
They sell 100-taka saline for 400 to 500 taka. Later, the district administration raided various shops in the city and fined and warned the shopkeepers. Now, this saline is not available in Chittagong drug stores. Common patients are in trouble. Saline is not available in drugstores, even at a higher price. District Administration Executive Magistrate Prateek Dutta recently raided various drug shops in the city and fined them money.
He said, “There is saline in the market. If we conduct raids, we get saline in the store. But usually, when the buyers go to buy, they say no; they can get it if they pay an extra price. However, government hospitals and private hospital clinics have saline supplies, according to officials. Supply in government hospitals is normal.
Chamek Hospital Assistant Director Dr. Rajiv Palit said, “We are giving saline to the patients. Even if we don’t get much, we have enough saline to meet the demand. Chittagong General Hospital supervisor Dr. Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said, ‘We are getting supplies from Dhaka. We are not having any problems. Private hospitals and clinics have a large daily demand for saline. Clinic owners complain that they are struggling to meet demand. Saline has to be purchased from different pharmaceutical companies and markets in different ways. It has to be bought at a higher price.
The private Parkview Hospital has the highest number of dengue patients admitted. Dr. Rezaul Karim, the hospital’s Managing Director, stated, “We need about 600/700 saline daily.” Apart from dengue patients, other patients, including those undergoing surgery, require saline. We buy directly from pharmaceutical companies. It has to be bought at an additional price. Not even available on the market.
The managing director of the private Max Hospital, Dr. Liaquat Ali Chowdhury, said, “We don’t have any stock. Medicines have to be bought from companies and markets to meet demand. As production is lower than demand, there is a crisis in the market.
