Drastic changes have occurred in the health sector following the appointment of Dr. Maheepala Herath as Health Secretary, leading to an increase in the number of patients receiving hospital care, according to Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) President, Dr. Rukshan Bellana.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Dr. Bellana stated that Dr. Herath’s appointment has partially alleviated the ongoing medical shortages and improved the quality of medicines available in government hospitals.
He recalled that, two years ago, many trade unionists predicted a rise in deaths due to a lack of medicines, with bodies potentially piling up in hospitals. This grim situation was a reality two years ago, he said, citing increased fraud and corruption related to medicines, which were often of low quality at the time.
However, Dr. Bellana noted that public confidence has now been restored, with more people seeking treatment at government hospitals due to the improved availability of quality medicines.
Despite these advancements, he expressed concern over the inefficiency of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), attributing any remaining shortages to this issue. He also criticized the continued high levels of corruption within the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka (SPC), describing it as a persistent problem.
Dr. Bellana further claimed that some SPC staff members would stand up from their workstations when certain local suppliers’ agents visited, calling it a pathetic situation.
While acknowledging that the appointment of Dr. Maheepala Herath has led to hospitals receiving better-quality medicines, Dr. Bellana emphasized that corruption within the SPC remains unresolved and continues unabated.
Source – dailymirror.lk
