About 90 percent of cancer treatment drugs in short supply in govt. hospitals
By Sujeewa Thathsara
All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association (ACMOA) yesterday said that the lives of 10,000 cancer patients were in danger due to shortages in 15 vital cancer drugs.
ACMOA General Secretary Dr. Jayantha Bandara said there were 15 main hospitals that treated cancer patients and 90 percent of the drugs used by them were in short supply.”We have informed the Ministry of Health of this situation. A lot of other unions and stakeholders have also brought it to the notice of the ministry, which, however, has done nothing and lives of people are in danger,” he said.
Dr. Bandara added that when diagnosed at an early stage cancer was curable. However, cancer spread when treatment was delayed for months and it became harder for doctors to do anything.”We can ask people to buy drugs from the private sector but 90 percent of our patients can’t afford to buy cancer medicine from the private sector. Some medicines cost over Rs. 50,000,” he said.
