‘Severe shortage of life-saving anti-hemophilic drugs endangers lives in Kashmir’
Srinagar, Jan 6: Hemophilia patients across Kashmir have been facing a grave and unprecedented humanitarian crisis for the past one year due to the non-availability of life-saving anti-hemophilic drugs, a press statement by the Association of Hemophilia patients said on Tuesday.
For the first time in the last eight years, Anti-Hemophilic Factor IX has remained unavailable at GMC Srinagar for over twelve months, putting hundreds of vulnerable patients—mostly children—at extreme risk, it added. “Despite repeated requests made to all concerned authorities, including senior officials of the Health and Medical Education Department and the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMSCL), no effective action has been taken. The matter was also taken to the Honorable High Court, which on three separate occasions issued clear directions to the concerned departments to ensure the immediate supply of anti-hemophilic drugs. Regrettably, even these judicial orders have not been implemented,” it said.
During the initial eight months of this crisis, the Hemophilia Society of Kashmir, with limited resources, purchased anti-hemophilic drugs worth several lakhs of rupees and provided them to critically ill patients to save lives. However, the Society has now exhausted all its financial resources and is no longer in a position to procure these extremely expensive medicines.
The prolonged shortage has had devastating consequences. “Most hemophilia patients, especially children, are fighting for their lives, and the education that they had somehow managed to start has now been abandoned by them. Due to the ongoing lack of treatment, and are now bedridden at home. Some children missed their Class 10 private examinations held a few months ago,” the statement added.
Additionally, many patients who required urgent or emergency surgeries have been unable to undergo these procedures and have been waiting for months for the availability of Factor IX. These patients continue to suffer from severe pain and life-threatening bleeding episodes, while the concerned departments remain largely indifferent. Tragically, several young children have already become permanently disabled, said the press statement.
As per the press release, for over a year, JKMSCL has failed to supply Factor IX. Instead, the Corporation entered into a rate contract for 600 IU strength Factor IX with a preferred company without obtaining the mandatory consent of the nominated technical committee. “One batch of Factor IX from this company failed the NIBL testing. Despite this serious red flag, certain individuals within the Corporation insisted on sending another batch from the same company for NIBL testing. Several months have passed, yet the test report has still not been received. This raises serious concerns, as it appears that some politically connected individuals are supporting this company and, in the process, putting the lives of hemophilia patients at risk,” it added.
“It is also a matter of record that the same company’s Factor IX drug was banned in Punjab a few months ago due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, in early December, JKMSCL supplied only 150 vials of 600 IU strength Factor IX from the same company to GMC Srinagar, which lasted merely a few days. This token supply is grossly inadequate when compared to the requisition of approximately 7,500 vials for the year 2025 submitted by GMC Srinagar, covering 500 IU, 600 IU, and 1,000 IU strengths,” said the statement.
As per established medical protocols, Anti hemophilic Factor must be administered as prophylactic therapy two to three times per week to prevent spontaneous and life-threatening bleeding. For the past one year, Factor IX–deficient hemophilia patients have received neither prophylactic treatment nor on-demand emergency therapy. Compounding the crisis further, Factor VIII, another essential life-saving anti-hemophilic drug that was supplied in very limited quantities in 2025, is now also exhausted. The Hemophilia Society of Kashmir has appealed the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene in this critical matter. “We urge the authorities to ensure transparent, safe, and prompt procurement and uninterrupted supply of all anti-hemophilic life saving drugs, in accordance with national and international treatment guidelines, so that the lives, dignity, and future of hemophilia patients especially children can be protected,” it further added.
