Bahrain's SCD patients get alternative drugs

Manama : Health authorities reassured that it has provided alternative medications for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients, following recent protests by patients at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

Health Ministry said in a statement yesterday that it has provided SCD patients, who receive treatment at SMC with Oxycodone drug, an alternative for Morphine, which is demanded by the patients.

The ministry said that the drug has been proven effective in improving patients’ conditions and reducing the complications they generally go through.

It explained that Oxycodone is a pharmaceutical opiate and from the same family of Morphine drugs, adding that the difference is that Oxycodone is available in the form of tablets.

“Oxycodone is known for lasting longer periods than Morphine and has less side effects. The ministry replaced Morphine with Oxycodone for treating SCD patients since three weeks. The step comes within the efforts to enhance the life patterns of patients by offering them oral medicines instead taking two to three injections a day and forcing them to visit healthcare intuitions on a daily basis,” the ministry’s statement read.

The Ministry reiterated the keenness of the authorities to provide the best healthcare services to citizens. It added that Oxycodone has been proven internationally to be more effective than Morphine shots.

The Ministry’s statements apparently followed the protests of SCD patients in SMC, in demand for Morphine shots.