Cabinet approves expansion of medical supply storage

Colombo, Dec. 16 (Daily Mirror) - The Cabinet has approved a proposal to expand the storage capacity of the Medical Supply Division, which operates under the Health and Mass Media Ministry. 

The division, responsible for procuring, storing, and distributing medicines and other medical supplies to health institutions, currently has storage facilities sufficient for only 22 to 30 days of stock based on annual consumption.

To minimize medicine shortages, the government plans to maintain supplies for over six months and keep a three-month buffer stock. In light of this, the Cabinet approved a joint proposal from the Health and Mass Media Minister and the Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Minister to transfer three warehouse buildings in Veyangoda, totaling 30,000 square feet, along with the relevant land and two cold storage units, from the Department of Food Commission to the Health Ministry .

The move is expected to strengthen the Medical Supply Division’s capacity to ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines across the country.