The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) says that many hospitals have decided to perform only emergency surgeries as the shortage of medicines and medical equipment is getting worse.
“There is a shortage of anesthetics these days, especially those used to inactivate muscles and then reactivate muscles. Therefore, many hospitals have decided to perform only emergency surgeries, ”said Ishan de Zoysa, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Medical Association.
“The next three months will be very important and challenging for us. Some plan must be built. The first thing you can’t find is expensive drugs. There are also drugs that we use that are cheaper and more commonly used in smaller quantities. Babies less than 28 weeks of age need an ET tube. We also give them a compound called surfactan because they do not breathe properly. So they are definitely needed. Without them, low birth weight babies will die. At present we are informed that there is a shortage of them, ”said the Vice President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association Surantha Perera.
Representatives of the Sri Lanka Medical Association stated this addressing a media briefing held yesterday (09).
