It has been alarmed that the shortage of drugs to cure tuberculosis poses serious health hazard in the country, with the possibility of patients dying of the disease plus several others at risk of easily contracting it.

During an interactive forum organized on Thursday 7th July 2011 in Freetown by People’s Health Movement – Sierra Leone Chapter and Health Alert, tuberculosis patients and health stakeholders expressed grave concerns over the drug shortage episode.

A patient living with tuberculosis, who identified himself as Alimamy Conteh, said the drugs have been out of supply for the past two months now.

According to him, a good number of tuberculosis patients now live without drugs. He spoke of the health hazards such an occurrence poses, while noting that such patients are now residing with people without the disease.

Another patient, Ayo Jones, explained that he has not taken tuberculosis drugs since April.

Adama Sesay, another patient disclosed that his situation continues to worsen by the day as a result of the drug shortage. “I was at the verge of recovering from tuberculosis when the drug crisis struck and I have not been opportune to receive treatment for the past two months,” Sesay said.

Soa Lamin, Health Alert Communications Officer, said doctor in charge of the TB Hospital at Lakka has confirmed the acute drug shortage.

According to him, the hospital has stopped admitting tuberculosis patients and is struggling to save the lives of patients that were already hospitalized prior to the shortage.

The Lakka Hospital, he said, lacks so many facilities including electricity and other basic hospital amenities.

“The hospital is now left with the option of turning down patients and sending them home,” Lamin pointed out.

Sulaiman Jabati, Executive Secretary for the Coalition for Justice and Accountability said many patients are losing their lives as a result of the shortage, adding that a young lady recently died of tuberculosis at the King Harman Road Hospital.

The lady in question, he continued, vomited blood prior to her death. He said the shortage is a serious course for alarm, while underscoring the need for health stakeholders to step up efforts to reverse the trend to avert more deaths.