Balasore, Nov. 3 -- Cancer patients undergoing treatment at the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) have been deprived of free life-saving medicines since April this year. The unavailability of these essential drugs has forced many patients to endure severe pain.

The state government had set up Day Care Chemotherapy Units (DCCUs) in every district headquarters hospital to facilitate chemotherapy for cancer patients and provide necessary medicines free of cost. The Balasore DCCU treats over 100 patients every month, while more than 15 new cancer patients are registered for treatment each month.

As cancer medicines are expensive, the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) supplies them to all district hospitals. In add...