Ministry of Health officials have assured that there will be no shortage of essential medicines in 2026, during a meeting with the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Media and Women’s Empowerment chaired by MP Nihal Abeysinghe.

They attributed the current shortages to past delays in ordering but confirmed that procurement for 2026 has already begun. By the end of this year, officials expect 80% to 90% of essential medicine items to be available.

Responding to further queries, officials stated that there is no current shortage of very essential medical items in the country.