A situation in which laboratory tests performed at government hospitals have been ceased has occurred, mainly due to the shortage of chemical compounds and equipment required for such tests to be performed, driving patients to resort to paid laboratory tests via private channelling, sources closer to the Health Sector divulged.

In the backdrop, private laboratories are reported to have been charging staggeringly high amounts of fees for such tests, unravelling a crisis worse than the medicine shortage itself, sources further disclosed.

These test reports are essential for medical diagnosis and the situation of government laboratories ceasing their operations and private laboratories charging higher amounts of fees has thrown patients of low income into an abyss of endless torment in their inability to present reports for diagnosis, medical officers told LNW.

Be the fact that the forex crisis in Sri Lanka contributing to the equipment shortage leading to the ceasing of operations at government laboratories true, but as to how the private laboratories possess them would be extremely problematic, they pointed out, adding that despite the limited amount of dollars received by the country, whether they are being spent on priority would also be problematic.

MIAP

Former MP Ranjan Ramamnayake who arrived at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport last night (27) to leave for the United States was not allowed to leave the country and returned by the Airport Immigration and Emigration officials.

This was reportedly due to the non-reception of an official update on the overseas travel ban imposed to the former MP being lifted by the Court.

MIAP

1. Bangladesh’s Central Bank prohibits banks in the country from carrying out transactions with Sri Lanka through the Asian Clearing Union system: ACU allows participating countries to settle payments for import & export intra-regional transactions: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are members of ACU.
   
2. President Ranil Wickremesinghe extends the Justice A H M D Nawaz Commission established to ascertain whether earlier Commissions of Inquiry and Committees that looked into human rights violations have revealed any serious violations of international humanitarian laws.
   
3. Owing to the defunct state of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, Kelanitissa Power Station lowers output: Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi Plant suspends operations due to lack of sufficient diesel and naphtha: national grid loses approximately 165 MW.
   
4. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank pledges support for countries facing serious debt problems: earmarks USD100 mn for “crisis hit” Sri Lanka.
   
5. SLPP Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the SLPP will rise again: asserts it will also formulate the programme to rebuild the country by overcoming the prevailing crisis: also says the SLPP has received a “good response” from the people during its “Ekwa Negitimu” (Let’s Rise Together) rallies.
   
6. General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sagara Kariyawasam emphasizes that dual citizens should be allowed to serve in Parliament: cites example of newly appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a Hindu of Indian origin.
   
7. Two Australian Navy ships, “Adelaide” and “Anzac” depart from Sri Lanka after a successful Passage Exercise conducted with Sri Lanka Navy ships “Sayurala” and “Sindurala”.
   
8. MP Wimal Weerawansa’s Counsel challenges the maintainability of the corruption case filed against him by the Bribery Commission.
   
9. State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says taxes need to be handled carefully in the challenging economic climate: adds that it is the responsibility of the entire country to “keep the poor alive”.
   
10. President Ranil Wickremasinghe places Telecommunications Regulatory Commission under the purview of the Ministry of Technology: previously, it was under the Ministry of Defence.

The Annual Kathina Ceremony of Pa Thein Monastery, Myanmar was successfully hosted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Yangon on Saturday, 22 October, 2022.  The event was participated by a large gathering including Ven. Sastravelliye Dhammakiththi Thero, the Chief Incumbent of Aukana Rajamahaviharaya in Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan Buddhist monks and the Sri Lankan community in Myanmar.

The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Myanmar Janaka Bandara welcomed the Sri Lankan community and appreciated their continuous support and cooperation towards the Embassy in sustaining his plans and programmes in view of strengthening the existing friendly ties between Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 

After the overnight Pirith chanting and Alms giving, the Kathina Robe and the traditional ‘Kap Ruka’ was taken from the Embassy premises to Pa Thein Monastery in a colourful religious procession with Buddhist flags, flower decorations and Myanmar traditional dancing groups. 

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Yangon

26 October, 2022

Government pharmacists are vehemently protesting against an attempt buy Rs 1 billion worth data system for Health Ministry’s medicine purchase supply and distribution for Hospitals Island wide.

They were seeking a probe on certain Ministry officials and trade unions behind alleged move misleading Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE).

The State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) made headlines recently at the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) hearing in the Sri Lankan Parliament.

Specifically, when asked about their operations, they claimed that they needed seven billion rupees for software to run their whole enterprise.

This links into some recent drama. The Medical Supplies Division (MSD), which works hand-in-hand with SPC, has existing software although Rs. 644 million spent over seven years (2008 – 2015), and not functional. Auditor General’s report revealed.

SPC clearly has massive inventory management problems: between 2011 and 2020, Rs. 6259 million worth of drugs faced a quality failure due to improper storage of drugs — by the SPC, it added.

Even under these allegations the Health Ministry is to purchase a new data system for the supply and distribution of medicines at a cost of Rs. 1 billion instead of providing solutions to the shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies in the country.

The Society of Government Pharmacists (SGP) requested the Minister of Health, the Secretary to the Health Ministry, and the Auditor General to conduct an investigation into the latest allegation. .

A leading member of the society said that certain officials of the Health Ministry and TUs are attempting to propagate that the purchase of drugs and medical supplies has been slowed down due to the data system that is currently in place to manage the purchase and distribution of drugs.

He said that many activities, such as ordering drugs from the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) by hospitals and medical institutions, the distribution of drugs from the MSD to hospitals and then from hospitals to their inpatient and outpatient departments, are being handled by the present system

It also included exchanging drugs and other medical supplies between hospitals, and estimating the required drugs and medical supplies and submitting the relevant information to the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) in addition to handling of about 2,500 Government pharmacists country wide.

“Some officials from the Health Ministry informed the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that this data system does not function properly. They provided misleading information to the COPE.

He added that Health Ministry officials are attempting to purchase another data system without transparent discussions conducted with the relevant parties, including the SGP.

He claimed that if the Health Ministry is to stop using the existing data system, the country will have to face a serious crisis with regard to drugs and medical supplies in 2023. “.

Meanwhile, the College of Medical Laboratory Science claimed at the time that in the context of the global health sector being digitiZed, the Health Ministry had failed to recruit any officers with expertise in information technology (IT) and that the same has resulted in the failure of many IT-related projects carried out by the Health Ministry at huge costs.

He said that a large sum of money is being wasted due to the appointment of Medical Officers (MOs) as IT officers instead of IT experts, which, he claimed, not only prevents the MOs from carrying out their primary duty of treating patients, but also causes huge financial losses when the IT projects eventually fail.

In the wake of government’s extension of US$100 million credit line for rooftop solar countrywide, the sustainable energy sector warned of bankruptcy due to the non-payment of Rs. 35 billion in dues by the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Employees in the sector yesterday staged yet another protest in Colombo demanding immediate settlement of dues.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said a $ 100 million credit line extended by the Indian Government for rooftop solar will be utilized to equip several State-owned buildings for power generation.

He made these remarks following a progress review meeting held on Saturday. The meeting was attended by officials from the Indian High Commission State Minister D.V. Chanaka, the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Sri Lanka.

Schools, universities, education institutes, hospitals, districts, Divisional Secretariats, Government buildings and religious institutes will be equipped with rooftop solar, utilizing the Indian credit line, the Minister said via Twitter on Saturday.

The sector accounts for 13% of the country’s energy supply. However protesters told the media it was said that even though there was an agreement to settle the dues it has only remained on paper.

As the power is supplied to the grid at far below the selling price and for which the monies have been collected by the CEB from its customers giving a very high profit. Despite this fact of having collected the money for the power supplied the CEB still does not pay the dues to the sustainable energy suppliers.

They warned that further delay in payment would lead to the collapse of sustainable energy industry leading to job losses and investments jeopardizing cost-efficient future power supply.

Holding the maiden press conference of the newly formed Federation of Renewable Energy Developers (FRED), the association’s President Thusitha Peiris yesterday revealed that the grid-connected private sector renewable energy developers are struggling to continue operations of their power plants due to severe cash-flow shortages with the CEB failing to settle Rs.35.1 billion worth of invoices owed to them over past 10 months.

With a 1, 350MW installed capacity, private sector renewable energy players currently contribute to around 14 percent of the country’s power generation.

The payments to private sector-owned renewable power sector only amounts to 5 percent of CEB’s overall power generation cost, whereas 74 percent of the cost is incurred to import diesel and heavy fuels.

Past President of Small Hydro Power Developers Association Prabath Wickramasinghe noted that renewable energy sector’s annual contribution has come down by 60GWH, which has led to Rs.5.35 billion net loss for CEB as CEB is forced to rely more on expensive imported power generation sources such as diesel to meet the shortfall.

As a result of severe cash flow issues, renewable energy developers are now struggling to service around Rs.60 billion project loans with the country’s banking sector with most of the loans classified as non-performing.

As a result, banking and other financial entitles now tend to recognize investments in renewable energy sector as high-risk, which could substantially slow down the country’s renewable energy activities in years to come.