Essential medicines are free, but most patients in need are without them

Most patients suffering from non-communicable disease fear that they need to take medicines lifelong and may not afford to buy them.

On Monday, a 55-year-old woman from Maijubahal in Kathmandu reached the Gaurighat-based urban health promotion centre to get the medicines for hypothyroidism. Health workers serving there told her that thyroxine 50 mg was out of stock and instead offered the drug’s 25 mg version, asking her to take two tablets once.