The Kalutara Nagoda Teaching Hospital has been forced to suspend cesarean sections due to a severe shortage of the essential anesthetic drug, marcaine. Hospital sources reported that the unavailability of this crucial medication has led to the transfer of pregnant mothers to other healthcare facilities.
Alarming reports indicate that the hospital is facing an acute scarcity of vaccines, with stocks barely sufficient for two days. The situation has raised concerns among hospital doctors, prompting them to alert the director of health services about the precarious state of the facility.
As a significant medical institution in the region, Kalutara Nagoda Hospital serves as a major center for maternal care. Each month, approximately seven hundred pregnant mothers are admitted for childbirth, with around two hundred of them requiring cesarean sections, according to the hospital doctors.
The current crisis has placed immense strain on the hospital’s ability to deliver vital services to expectant mothers. Immediate measures are being sought to address the critical shortage of marcaine and secure a stable vaccine supply to ensure the safety and well-being of both mothers and newborns in the region.
However, the Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressed the issue of Marcaine drug shortage for caesarean sections in Parliament today (20), assuring that there is reportedly no scarcity. The minister stated that there are currently 30,000 vials of Heavy Marcaine in stock, and an additional 50 vials have been allocated to Kalutara Teaching Hospital after being informed of the shortage. He acknowledged that the purchase of the medicine has been delayed due to ongoing discussions about a potential price increase.
