Colombo, December 2 (Prensa Latina) More than four million people in Sri Lanka are seriously affected by drug shortages, the Ceylon Association of Medical Officials (Acmoa) reported today.
According to this organization, around three million people being treated for non-communicable diseases, one million people suffering from preventable blindness, 10,000 patients pending bypass surgery, and 10,000 cancer patients from lack of medicines and medical equipment affected in the country.
Acmoa’s secretary, Dr. Jayantha Bandara, reported on the harm to three million people who take drugs every day for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease.
Currently, they are not getting enough of the drugs because there are not enough quantities in the hospitals, the doctor noted.
He further said that there are about a million people with preventable blindness in Sri Lanka who are waiting for cataract surgery because contact lenses are not available in hospitals.
He also pointed out that more than 10,000 people are on long waiting lists for bypass surgery and a similar number of cancer patients cannot afford the necessary drugs.
In a press conference, the President of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Ravi Kumudesh, also said that 185 drugs are currently missing.
As the island state in the Indian Ocean is currently in a severe economic crisis, there have been difficulties importing necessary medicines and other medical supplies in recent months.