No shortage of essential drugs in hospitals: MSD

The Medical Supplies Division yesterday denied allegations made by the Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) claiming that there was a drug shortage in five hospitals in the country.

Speaking to Daily Mirror Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe, Director MSD, said that there was no such drug shortage either at the National Hospital, National Eye Hospital, Anuradhapura and Vauniya or at any of the De Soysa Hospitals in the outstations as alleged by the HSTUA. “I heard about this allegation last morning that was being reported by the media. I personally called the Anuradhapura De Soyza Hospital as well as the Eye Hospital Colombo and they confirmed that the rumours held no water and that they had the necessary drugs,” he said. He added that while there were a total of 21,000 varieties of drugs that were purchased every year the unavailability of four or five drugs was considered a minor problem.

He confirmed that the Salbactum Antibiotic, which the HSTUA claim was unavailable, was actually a special drug that was only purchased on request and that it was not listed under the essential drugs category. However, while calling the MSD Director’s bluff, the HSTUA said that the Colombo Eye Hospital was short of drugs such as Atenolol, Atovastation and Nifidipine that was prescribed for high blood pressure.

Source: http://print.dailymirror.lk/news/news/51514.html