Sri Lanka faces essential drug shortage amid economic pressure, doctors’ union warns

Colombo, May 1 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka is facing a shortage of several essential medicines due to economic pressures and disruptions in the drug supply mechanism, a medical trade union representative has warned.

Medical and Civil Rights Doctors' Trade Union Alliance Chairman Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said the ongoing depreciation of the rupee and rising inflation have led to external drug suppliers failing to maintain a proper supply system.

He said that the shortage has affected medicines used to treat major illnesses, creating difficulties for patients seeking treatment at external pharmacies.

According to Dr. Sanjeewa, patients suffering from cancer, kidney and liver diseases, as well as those awaiting surgeries and receiving treatment for non-communicable diseases, are among the worst affected.

He attributed the situation to several factors, including delays in the registration of certain drugs, reluctance of suppliers to import medicines at government-controlled prices, and the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar.

As a result, some patients are forced to import medicines from abroad at high costs, placing a heavy burden on those who lack the financial means.

Dr. Sanjeewa warned that unless authorities take immediate action to address the issue, healthcare services and patient care could be severely disrupted.