News
GMOA: Politicians lie when they deny shortages at state-run hospitals
By Sujeewa Thathsara, Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon and Chaminda Silva
Patients’ lives are in danger due to shortages of drugs, Secretary of the All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association (ACMOA), Dr. Jayantha Bandara says. Dr. Bandara said that even leading hospitals in the country including the National Hospital, Colombo, faced shortages.
“There are crippling shortages of surgical equipment, pain killers, cancer drugs, medicines used for common non-communicable diseases and widely used medicines for children. Some of these drugs are over,” he said.
Dr. Bandara warned that the health sector will collapse in a few months unless remedial action was taken urgently.
“A lot of government hospitals ask patients to buy medicine from private pharmacies. However, the prices of medicines have increased by 400 percent in the past few months. People just can’t afford to buy medicines from the private sector,” he said.
ACMOA Secretary said that the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) could import drugs at reasonable prices and release them to the market. However, the SPC had done precious little to import and sell drugs or make the best use of the Indian credit lines, he said.
“This is the responsibility of the SPC. Even top-tier Colombo hospitals like the National Hospital and the Eye Hospital are facing severe shortages. Do we even need to talk about rural hospitals? The lives of people are at risk,” Dr. Bandara said, adding that doctors had been compelled to postpone surgeries because of drug and equipment shortages. “This has made thousands of patients vulnerable.
“The government needs to address this situation immediately, he said. Moreover, resident patients do not receive nutritious meals at hospitals, he said.
“The Health Ministry is not managing the crisis at all. For example, doctors at the Eye Hospital are compelled to ask patients to buy all kinds of medicine and equipment from the private sector. Most people can’t afford them. What can the doctors do? A lot of doctors are now involved in fundraising. However, that becomes a problem when government ministers say there are no medical shortages,” he said.
These contradictory statements are confusing potential donors, Dr. Bandara added. A lot of philanthropists have contacted doctors’ unions and health ministry and have sought clarifications, he said.
“We try to tell them what the situation here is. But some of the health ministry officials say that there are no shortages. A number of doctors have told me that there is a drop in donations as well. Also, we have no idea about what had happened to the Indian credit line. It was revealed in Parliament that India had allocated a few hundred million dollars for medical supplies, but what has happened to that? No one seems to know,” he said.
In terms of the provisions of the Establishments Code on payment of festival advance to government officers, there’s a possibility of obtaining rupees 10,000/- as an advance for celebrating festivals of Theipongal, Ramazan, Sinhala and Hindu New Year, Wesak, Deepavali, and Christmas as well as for pilgrimages (Sri Paada pilgrimage and Hajj pilgrimage).
Provisions have been given to recover the said advance in 08 installments or if required earlier without interest. It has been proposed by the Budget 2026 to increase the said festival advance up to rupees 15,000/-.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local governments to revise the relevant provisions so that the festival advance can be increased up to rupees 15,000/- .
As per the approval given by the cabinet meeting held on 02-06-2025, action is being taken at present to offer the underutilized lands/properties of the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Etate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation Company which are under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure which have been identified under stage one to suitable investors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure to provide following lands/properties on a lease basis to the suitable investors for optimal utilization following the prescribed procurement procedure.
• underutilized lands/properties identified under stage two owned by the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Estate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation
Company,
• The Mawarala watte land and the Tea factory 40.48 hectares in extent, located in Matara District belonging to the Tea Shakthi Fund.
• The underutilized land of 1,541 hectares in extent of Kondachchi Estate is enjoyed by the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation.
The drafting of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has commenced with the objective of equitable distribution of the benefits of the fisheries industry and the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture. This policy has been updated from time to time according to current requirements. However, steps have not been taken to obtain the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
According to the policy declaration of the present government, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’ the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has been redrafted, updating the aforementioned policy in line with the economic and development objectives of the government.
The recommendations of the Department of National Planning have been received for the drafted policy.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Marine
Resources to implement the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, integrating it with other relevant policies.
Lanka Premier League draft set to take place on March 22
Trump to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Machado at the White House
Festival advance for government officers to be increased
Providing underutilized lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization.
Implementation of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy
Expressions of Interest called to develop selected locations within the Pelawatte Sugar Factory premises
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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