Due to the acute shortage of equipment and medicines, many surgeries in hospitals have to be susupended Hospital sources say .
It is reported that more than 60 types of medicines, including essential medicines, are currently in short supply in hospitals.
A hospital spokesperson said that 20 types of medicines and many types of vaccines are in short supply in Maharagama Apeksha cander traetent center and the patients are in difficulties as prices of these are very high.
According to hospital sources, operations have to be suspended due to lack of medicine in major hospitals including Colombo National Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Karapitiya Hospital, Badulla, Matara in Kandy.
Meanwhile, it is also said that due to the shortage of many medicines and equipment including cotton wool, the dental surgery activities of the National Dental Hospital have been limited.
He said that about 500 patients come to the hospital for treatment every day, but due to lack of equipment and medicines, many have to be diverted.
It is said that there are many cases of patients returning from severe pain as even painkillers are not enough to give to patients who are suffering from severe pain.