Sunil Kataria

COLOMBO (Reuters – The shortage of medicine in Sri Lanka due to economic turmoil could cause death soon, doctors warned. Because hospitals don’t have enough drugs, they are forced to put off lifesaving operations for patients.

Sri Lanka imports more that 80% of its medical supplies, however due to the current crisis, foreign currency reserves have run out and critical medications are disappearing from shelves. This is threatening the health of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system.

The 950-bed Apeksha hospital for cancer, located on the outskirts Colombo’s commercial capital, feels increasingly powerless as patients, family members, and doctors are unable to cope with the severe shortages that have forced the postponement and suspension of critical surgeries and tests.

Roshan Amaratunga said, “It’s very harmful for patients with cancer.”

    “Sometimes, in the morning we plan for some surgeries (but) we may not be able to do on that particular day … as (supplies) are not there.”

He stated that many patients will face death if they don’t get better quickly.

Sri Lanka has been facing its greatest economic crisis since Independence in 1948. It is caused by COVID-19, a rising oil price, and populist tax reductions.

According to a government official, there were about 180 medical supplies that are running out. This includes injections for dialysis patients and medicine for transplant patients.

Saman Rathnayake (an official) told Reuters that India and Japan were providing supplies. But it might take as long as four months to receive the goods.

He said that Sri Lanka had reached out to private donors both domestically and internationally for assistance.

‘TREMENDOUS FEAR’

The doctors are concerned more than patients or relatives because they understand the gravity and consequences of the situation.

    Referring to the ubiquitous queues for petrol and cooking gas, Dr Vasan Ratnasingam, a spokesman for the Government Medical Officers’ Association, said the consequences for people awaiting treatment were so much more dire.

Ratnasingam stated, “If patients wait in line for drugs they will die.”

Binuli Bimsara’s mother, Binuli Bimsara (a 4-year-old girl being treated with leukaemia), said that her husband and she were both terrified.

The mother stated that although we used to have some hope, the medications gave us the ability to live with extreme fear.

We are truly helpless and our future looks really grim when we learn about the shortage in medicines. Our child is too sick to travel abroad.

According to officials, 25 tonnes worth of medical supplies were handed over by Indian authorities on Sunday.

“India has never assisted another country in this manner at any time,” G.L. Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, said. G.L., Sri Lanka’s foreign Minister said that this is something we are grateful for. Peiris stood beside a ship bringing thousands of sacks supplies to Colombo port, and he said this.

“This is the most difficult time Sri Lanka’s faced since independence.”