Rs.40 billion wasted on unnecessary medicines – Dr. Jayanthe Bandara
SUNDAY, 17 MARCH 2013
Sri Lanka wastes about Rs. 40 billion in importing unnecessary drugs says the National Organizer of Prof. Senaka Bibile Commemoration Committee Dr. Jayanthe Bandara.
To prevent importing unnecessary medicines and save the colossal amount of money wasted on it a national drug policy that would allow only the important, inexpensive and necessary drugs to be imported should be implemented points out Dr. Bandara.
He states the lack of a national policy on drugs allows unnecessary, outdated and substandard drugs to be imported to the country and creates opportunity for the private sector to increase prices of drugs and shortages of drugs in government hospitals. It is the innocent patients who have to suffer due to the lack of a national policy on drugs points out Dr. Bandara.
The National Organizer of Prof. Senaka Bibile Commemoration Committee states more than 80 varieties of drugs that were imported last year had to be removed from being used and a shortage of important drugs and injections prescribed for serious illnesses was experienced in government hospitals due to the non-existent of a national policy.
He said neighbouring countries such as India and Bangladesh have a national drug policy and called on authorities to implement the national drug policy that has been compiled in our country.
