Government hospitals were facing severe shortages of more than 70 drugs and devices including many essential drugs, Prof. Senaka Bibile Commemorative Association Secretary Dr. Jayantha Bandara said yesterday.
“More than 70 drugs and devices needed for patients with heart, cholesterol, kidney, high blood pressure, asthma related ailments and essential drugs required for the Intensive Care Unit were in shortage,” Dr. Bandara said. According to him this had been an ongoing problem that had reached its climax since surgical and critical patients had to buy their medication and that it could no longer be called free healthcare.
The Health Ministry spends more than Rs. 12 billion in preparing the annual drug estimate for every year and at the beginning of the year there was a shortage of more than 70 drugs, Dr. Bandara said.
“Meningitis patients have to spend more than Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000 on their medication. That causes a huge strain on the patients. The dye needed for an angiogram was not available and dialyzers needed for kidney patients were some of the most expensive goods unavailable,” Dr. Bandara said.
He said that a ‘stent’ required for a heart surgery that cost about Rs. 2 lakhs was not available and that Clinic patients were severely inconvenienced.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bandara said the ministry was corrupt in their procurements while procuring sub standard drugs at a loss to the people’s valued tax rupees. “There were huge frauds in these procurements which had been discovered in the report by the Auditor General.
DM
“More than 70 drugs and devices needed for patients with heart, cholesterol, kidney, high blood pressure, asthma related ailments and essential drugs required for the Intensive Care Unit were in shortage,” Dr. Bandara said. According to him this had been an ongoing problem that had reached its climax since surgical and critical patients had to buy their medication and that it could no longer be called free healthcare.
The Health Ministry spends more than Rs. 12 billion in preparing the annual drug estimate for every year and at the beginning of the year there was a shortage of more than 70 drugs, Dr. Bandara said.
“Meningitis patients have to spend more than Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000 on their medication. That causes a huge strain on the patients. The dye needed for an angiogram was not available and dialyzers needed for kidney patients were some of the most expensive goods unavailable,” Dr. Bandara said.
He said that a ‘stent’ required for a heart surgery that cost about Rs. 2 lakhs was not available and that Clinic patients were severely inconvenienced.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bandara said the ministry was corrupt in their procurements while procuring sub standard drugs at a loss to the people’s valued tax rupees. “There were huge frauds in these procurements which had been discovered in the report by the Auditor General.
DM
