Chairman of the Health Professionals’ Association Ravi Kumudesh recently divulged that there is a shortage of about 80 essential medicines in the country, due to the negligence of the Subject Minister and the non-issuance of dollars.
Kumudesh revealed that although US$40 million is required to import the required amount of medicines for 2022, the government agreed to release only US$05 million, making it impossible to import even one type of medicines.
In response to these reports, Subject Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has called for a comprehensive report on the amount of medicines required for the first two quarters of 2022.
Accordingly, Dr. Saman Rathnayake, Secretary of the State Ministry of Drug Production, Supply and Regulation, has been instructed to provide information on the medicines that are being imported and those manufactured locally.
Despite any ongoing crisis, the Ministry has a responsibility to distribute medicines to the people without any shortage, as it is a priority of the government, Rambukwella added.
MIAP