Laloki running out of vital drug

THE Laloki Psychiatric Hospital’s pharmacy needs urgent supply of Benzhexol and if nothing is done in the next two weeks, more mental patients could suffer severe side effects which the drug can control.
Acting pharmacy technician at the hospital, Yantze Modaite, said the pharmacy was still waiting for new supplies since the beginning of September and added that even follow-up queries four weeks ago had not been responded to.
“As of September, the supply of Benzhexol was depleting and our order for more to the Badili Area Medical Store was sent back due to no stock,” Mr Modaite said
Benzhexol is administered to psychiatric patients to control the side effects of their usual anti-psychotic treatment by stabilising negative reflex actions and helps patients recuperate.
It is given once a day to every patient.
If patients miss their daily dose, they could develop skin ruptures (blisters), experience visual and auditory distortion, and body tremors, which constitute unco-ordinated functions of body limbs in patients.
“We have very limited stock left which is likely to run out by the end of next week,” he said, adding that although previous orders showed that money for new supply for the remainder of the year was available, none was allocated yet and because the Badili store had run  out of stock, “we have to get new stock elsewhere immediately”.
The acting CEO for the hospital was not available for comment last Friday as he was at the Port Moresby General Hospital to see review patients.