The cascading impact of war and rising global tensions is now being felt directly in hospitals, with a severe shortage of life-saving chemotherapy drugs Cisplatin and Carboplatin used for chemotherapy reported in government hospitals. These medicines are widely used in cancer treatment, and the raw materials required for their production are imported from other countries. Due to disruptions caused by the ongoing international conflict, imports have nearly come to a halt, severely affecting production by Indian pharmaceutical companies. Due to the shortage, around 15 to 20 patients are reportedly being turned away every day.

 

Doctors warn that if chemotherapy medicines are not administered on time, cancer can spread rapidly to other parts of the body, pushing patients into a critical condition. Medical experts said Cisplatin and Carboplatin are among the most important chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment. These platinum-based anti-cancer injections help prevent the growth of cancer cells and are used in nearly 60 per cent of cancer treatments. In Government hospitals, these medicines form the backbone of treatment for economically weaker patients. Doctors said the growing shortage has created panic among patients, many of whom fear the unavailability of medicines more than the disease itself. Dr Sushil Mandhaniya, noted Oncologist, admitted that the shortage is leading to halting patients treatment. He made it clear, “Before the start of war, we had sensed that there could be an impact on these important drugs. Sans those drugs, we are not able to administer chemotherapy.

 

If the cycle of chemotherapy is missed, then it affects the overall health of cancer patients. For how many days one would face the problem is not known.” Cancer treatment is administered in scheduled chemotherapy cycles, usually every 7, 14 or 21 days. Doctors warn that if treatment is interrupted due to non-availability of drugs, cancer cells can become active again rapidly. In many cases, tumors may grow further, pain may increase and the patient’s condition can deteriorate seriously. According to oncologists, delay in chemotherapy does not merely postpone treatment but may push the disease into a more advanced stage. Therefore, the shortage of Cisplatin and Carboplatin is being viewed as a serious healthcare crisis. A senior doctor, on condition of anonymity,explained, “There are several issues pertaining to non-availability of the drugs. Government has asked pharma companies not to hike the price. Suppose a drug costs Rs 300, but in recent times due to war, the cost of production has gone up. If the cost of production is more than Rs 300, then the companies are not able to sell the drugs at Rs 300.

 

Since Government is insisting not to increase the price, the countries from where raw material comes have stopped providing the same. In Nagpur, the problem of severe shortage of the drugs is being faced by almost all Government hospitals, includingAll India Institute of Medical Sciences, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). “Due to war-related disruptions and international tensions, shipping routes have been affected, risks in maritime transport have increased, container availability has reduced and customs clearances are getting delayed.These factors have directly impacted the production cycle of Indian pharmaceutical companies. Experts noted that after the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns had already been raised over India’s dependence on foreign supply chains for essential medicines. If the global conflict continues for a prolonged period, shortages of several other life-saving drugs may also emerge in the coming months.