Pharmacists warn of possible 'medicine queues' due to patients suffering from medicine shortage

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Society of Government Pharmacists say that patients suffering from infectious and non-infectious diseases are at a risk due to shortage of medicine.

The Chairman of the Society of Government Pharmacists, Ajith P. Thilakaratne pointed out that there is a serious shortage of medicines used to treat cancer patients, kidney patients and thalassemia patients, which will seriously affect the patients during the next two weeks.

He further stated that although they informed the Health Ministry and the Government of the risks of this issue around three months ago and requested their interference, the Government Treasury stopped issuing LCs for all purchases made.

Accordingly, as a result, patients have been seriously affected, he further stated.

"If the government fails to provide a solution to this issue at least now, we will be seeing queues for medicine in the next two weeks, similar to the diesel queues and gas queues we see today," Thilakaratne added.

Meanwhile, Pharmacy owners say that the requested quantity of medicine is either not given, or given less than the amount requested. Insulin, pressure tablets and thyroxine are among the medicines which are lacking.

Pharmacy owners further stated that at the moment, many companies do not send essential items such as Panadol tablets right away, while the Chairman of the Anuradhapura District Pharmacy Owners Association, Anuradha Kumarasinghe stated that Pharmaceutical companies continue to stockpile medicine in the hope of a price hike in the near future.