Around 150 pharmaceuticals are currently out of stock at the Medical Supplies Division (MSD), with about 50 in shortage nationally, according to MSD statistics.

When contacted by The Sunday Morning, MSD Deputy Director General Dr. Garusinghe Wijesuriya said that while certain medicinal drugs were in shortage, there was no hindrance to patient care services.

“We have the necessary substitutes for the items in shortage. For example, if it is the 500 mg dose of a medicine that is not available, we have the 250 mg in stock,” he said.

Further, hospitals across the country have been given the authority to locally purchase medications in order to ensure no disruptions to healthcare services, according to Dr. Wijesuriya.

He reiterated that the medications currently out of stock were not essential medications.

However, College of Medical Laboratory Science President Ravi Kumudesh challenged this outlook on essential versus nonessential medicinal drugs.

He told The Sunday Morning that the healthcare service provided by Sri Lanka was not solely aimed at preventing death, as health was a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

“This lack of medical items has turned into a norm,” Kumudesh said.

“There are no reports being made on which pharmaceuticals are in shortage, but patients are being informed of a lack of their medication every day.”

He continued that this shortage was not only with regard to medicinal drugs but also cleaning solutions. 

According to Swastha, peracetic acid (PAA), an organic chemical compound used primarily as a chemical disinfectant in healthcare, is not available anywhere in the country.

Swastha also reports cleaning and decontamination solutions such as enzymatic cleaning solution, glutaraldehyde EM grade (25% aqueous solution), and cold sterilant solution (containing 5% peracetic acid, 22% hydrogen peroxide, and 9% acetic acid) are at zero stock levels nationally.