A shortage of medicine at the six major clinics in Papua New Guinea's second city of Lae will affect more than six thousand patients.
At present, the clinics are only providing consultations and are referring patients to private pharmacies.
The National newspaper reports that Morobe's provincial administrator, Manasupe Zurenouc, said he hoped the National Government would act immediately to resolve the drug shortage.
Mr Zurenouc said the situation could be even worse in rural areas and he predicted an increased death rates because of the lack of medicine.
