Bengal hospitals face saline supply crisis as West Asia conflict disrupts medicine imports

The West Bengal Health Department has issued a circular warning government hospitals about shortages of saline and several essential medicines amid disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. According to the directive, tensions involving Israel, Iran and the United States have affected international supply chains, disrupting the availability of medicines, medical consumables and packaging materials required for hospital supplies.

Health department sources said the ongoing conflict has disrupted the Store Management Information System supply chain, prompting authorities to instruct hospitals and district administrations to arrange local procurement of essential medicines and medical equipment. Hospitals have been directed to purchase required items as “non-catalogue” or “non-cat” items instead of depending entirely on the regular government supply system.

According to the circular and officials familiar with the matter, shortages have emerged in the supply of paracetamol tablets, normal saline, dextrose-based IV fluids, pantoprazole tablets, ORS, metformin tablets, telmisartan tablets, iron and folic acid tablets and disposable hypodermic syringes. Officials stated that many of these items are critical for routine treatment, emergency services and chronic disease management in government healthcare facilities.

Authorities said the conflict has disrupted the availability and pricing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients used in medicine manufacturing. Officials added that suppliers responsible for central procurement are facing difficulty maintaining deliveries because rising global prices have made it difficult to supply medicines at earlier tender-approved rates. The Department of Expenditure under the Union Finance Ministry has also invoked the “force majeure” clause in relation to the disruption, according to the directive.

Officials further stated that the prolonged conflict has affected cargo movement around the Strait of Hormuz, increasing fuel prices, shipping costs and logistics disruptions. Health department sources warned that district hospitals, rural hospitals and primary health centres could face significant pressure if the supply disruption continues, as these institutions depend heavily on central supply systems for medicines and medical consumables.