No shortage of cancer drugs

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

There is no shortage of drugs for breast cancer patients as reported by certain media. The media reported a drug shortage but there is no such shortage in the country, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.

He said the two drugs - Anastrozole (1mg) and Letrozole (2.5) - are given to cancer patients and these two drugs are freely available at all hospitals where Cancer Units are located.

The monthly requirement of Anastrozole is 6,000 tablets and at the moment the Medical Supply Division has 5,880 tablets.

Drug stocks need for a month is available and no drug shortage in hospitals or in the Drug Supply Division, he said. According to the spokesman 2,900 tablets of Letrozole required for a month and at the moment 24890 tablets of this drug available in the Medical Supply Division.

Accordingly stocks required for next eight months are available in the stores and all state hospitals where Cancer Units function.

The Medical Supply Division has provided 68,858 tablets of these drugs so far and the total requirement is 72100 tablets. The rest of the total requirement will be provided as soon as the relevant orders come from hospitals. Accordingly all the hospitals which have Cancer Units have adequate drugs for breast cancer patients.

Cancer Units are at Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Mahanuwara, Galle, Karapitiya, Kurunegala and Badulla apart from the Cancer Hospital, Maharagama.