Doctors complain Govt. recklessness cause of drug shortage

(February 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The acute drug shortage in Govt. hospitals have placed the lives of heart patients and others in dire jeopardyAccording to the Doctors , they have no alternative than to instruct the patients to get the drugs from the Pharmacies despite Health services Director General’s instructions to the contrary, which the Doctors claim is an ill conceived move of the Health authorities.

“What else can we do when the Govt. cannot provide the essential drugs;” asked Dr. Anuruddha Paddeniya, General Secretary of Governmnet Medical Officers Association (GMOA). Over 4500 patients have been directed to outside pharmacies for drug purchases. The poorer patients are worst affected because they have no money to purchase the drugs, he said.

The first line drugs for cardiac and diabetic patients had been out of stock for the last seven days, and the Health authorities have not cared a tuppence regarding the suffering of patients!