By Kushali Atukorale
Medical care services at Kurunegala General Hospital, Matara Base Hospital and Karapitiya Teaching Hospital are hampered by a severe shortage of drugs, hospital sources claimed yesterday.

Accordingly many essential drugs such as Oralcesuroxine, Tephalexin (an antibiotic which is essential to treat pneumonia patients),Omiprazole (an antibiotic given along with any acidity medication), Ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic which is given for urine infection) and several vaccines known as Ranitidine (an essential vaccine given for dengue victims), Gentamicine (used during operations and to treat infections), and Acyclovir (used for chicken pox) are among the essential drugs and vaccines which are not available in the hospitals.

He also said that most of these medicines have been in short supply in the hospitals for more than three to six weeks and even though the health authorities have been informed of the situation, action has yet to be taken to replenish the supplies. It is a serious situation since all these drugs are essential and required on a daily basis. Ranitidine vaccine is an important vaccine to treat Dengue victims which should be available in the hospitals given the prevailing dengue epidemic. Unfortunately the vaccine is not available in Matara General Hospital since last May,” the source asserted.

It was said that the Ministry’s drugs supplier, the Department of Medical Supplies too has run out of stock of the said drugs which are in short supply in hospitals. Director of Medical Supply Division (MSD) Dr. Sarath Weerabandara said that he was never informed about the shortage and the drugs and vaccines said to be in short supply could be supplied if requisitions for them are placed with the Department of Medical Supplies.

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