COLOMBO, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Patients in Sri Lanka suffering from cancer, kidney and liver diseases are facing increasing difficulties in accessing essential medicines amid a widening drug shortage, local media Daily Mirror reported Friday, citing a health expert.
Chamal Sanjeewa, chairman of the Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, said the shortage has also affected patients receiving treatment for chronic non-communicable illnesses and those awaiting surgical procedures, with limited supplies disrupting critical treatment.
He said a combination of economic and regulatory factors has contributed to the situation. These include delays in the registration of certain pharmaceutical products, the weakening of the Sri Lankan rupee against the U.S. dollar, and rising inflation, all of which have increased the cost of imports.
Existing government price controls have further discouraged some suppliers from importing medicines, as controlled prices have reduced the commercial viability of certain drugs.
As a result, some overseas suppliers have been unable to maintain regular shipments, leading to supply shortages in the local market. ■