Kathmandu, Nov. 8 -- The Health Division of Kathmandu Metropolitan City has decided not to purchase essential medicines, as the previous year's supplies remain unused at various warehouses.

The division had purchased 85 kinds of essential medicines worth Rs 9.2 million last year. The medicines were meant to be distributed free of cost through public health facilities in Kathmandu.

"We were unable to distribute the drugs to the patients due to the lack of doctors at health facilities," Narendra Bajracharya, the division's chief, told the Post. "We do not have an immediate plan to purchase medicines for now."

Medicines for non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, mental health, heart diseases and asthma need doctor's prescr...