Health Minister acts tough on officials to ensure continuous supply of meds to hospitals

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has instructed the relevant officials of the Ministry to relax certain traditional rules and regulations and take all necessary measures to ensure continuous supply of medicine to all hospitals.

The Minister also pointed out that if there is a shortage of medicines even after allocating necessary funds, the relevant departments of the health sector should take the responsibility for the shortage.

The Minister was speaking at a special discussion held at the Health Ministry.

The Secretary of the of Health Ministry Janaka Sri Chandragupta along with officials of the Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division, State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation, National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Asian Development Bank and World Bank were present.

The Minister said that the Medical Supplies Division should update the necessary information properly and take full responsibility for continuously providing the medicines needed by the people without any shortage and for that, a good relationship should be established between other related institutions.

The Health Minister pointed out that the officials should focus on the systematic use of international loans or aid in obtaining medicines and slow actions in such projects will cause many problems.

He requested the relevant officials to get the support of medical specialists’ associations to identify the medicines needed by the patients with priority and to distribute them properly, to get updated information about the medicines through the hospital directors, and to pay more attention to the medicines for cancer patients and to work with priority to provide such medicines.

The Health Minister further said that although the local suppliers and manufacturers are more interested in the supply of medicines and medical equipment, due to some existing obstacles, it cannot be implemented properly, and therefore paying more attention to such situations and preparing a programme to provide them with the facilities they need is important.

State Health Minister Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Secretary of the Ministry of Health Janaka Sri Chandragupta, Additional Secretaries, Deputy Director Generals and officials of many institutions affiliated to the Health Ministry were present.