Colombo: There has been an uproar in Sri Lanka for the past few months and now the former President of the country Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also fled abroad. Currently Sri Lanka is struggling with economic and political crisis. Angry people are protesting against the government. There is shortage of diesel (Desal)-petrol (Petrol) to food, drugs (Drugs) to electricity (Shortage) in the country. Inflation has also skyrocketed. Due to which the condition of people has become dire.
- Severe shortage of medicines in Sri Lanka, people are not even getting the medicines they need
- ‘Country has shortage of medicines, so don’t get sick’, appeals to doctors
- Help was sought from Sri Lankans settled abroad
- Even cancer hospitals do not have stock of medicines to treat people
Doctors in Sri Lanka are advising people that the supply of medicines and other essentials is dwindling due to the economic crisis in the country, so they should avoid getting sick so that they don’t have any problems. Some doctors in the country are asking for donations to meet the drug shortage, and have also turned to social media to raise funds. There are also some doctors who are requesting help from Sri Lankans living abroad. The ongoing economic crisis and political instability in the country show no signs of abating. 15-year-old Hasini Vasana is struggling to find the medicine she needs to save her transplanted kidney.
Severe shortage of drugs even in cancer hospitals
Hasini had a kidney transplant 9 months ago. She needs lifelong immunosuppressive drugs to allow her body to adjust to the transplanted organ. Hasina’s elder sister Ishar Thilini said, ‘We have been told by the hospital people that they don’t know when they will get medicine again.’ Cancer hospitals don’t even have stock of drugs to treat people.
Medicines available only for dialysis patients
“Our hospital is running on donations,” said Samath Dharmaratne, president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, “Don’t get sick, don’t get injured, don’t do anything that makes you go to the hospital for unnecessary treatment.” “Currently the situation is very serious. Head of the Kidney Hospital in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, Dr. Charles Nugawela said his hospital runs on donations, but he has made arrangements to give medicine only to patients whose illness has progressed to a stage where they need dialysis.