Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has declared a state of emergency in the health service following the cosieration of dire status in the entire sector.
The decision was taken at a special discussion held at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday.
In this discussion the Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has stated that the Ministry of Health has not prepared any plan to import drugs to alleviate the shortage of drugs in hospitals.
However, the drugs ordered earlier will be received within the next three months, the Minister said.
The Prime Minister has stated that the recurrent expenditure allocated for the health sector will not be slashed in the forthcoming budget.
The Prime Minister also has urged that the views of all trade unions in the sector should be sought to work for the betterment of the health service.
The Professional Forum on Medical and Civil Rights has commented on how drugs should be brought to Sri Lanka expeditiously.
The discussion was held at the Prime Minister’s Office today and was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella, Secretary to the Ministry of Health Janaka Sri Chandragupta and the Director General of Health Services Dr. Lal Panapitiya. Ruwan Wijewardena, Secretary of the Medical and Civil Rights Trade Union Forum Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara and several members of the Health Trade Union were present.
