Drug prices slahsed – Rajitha

Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said in Kandy on Saturday the government had to spend a lot of money to maintain the health service.

Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said so at the opening of the Osusala Branch of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) at the Peradeniya University.

This was the practice until the Yahapalana administration came to power, Dr. Senaratne said.

Dr. Senaratne said that with effect from first of September prices of ten expensive medicinal drugs and two medical instruments had been reduced.

The minister said that 95 percent of drugs for cancer had been purchased by the government and only five percent had come from the private sector. The medicine was so expensive that the patient could not afford. The government spent Rs. 7 billion for purchasing the anti-cancer drugs, he said.

Vice chancellor of University of Peradeniya Professor Upul B. Dissanayake, Director General of Helath Services Dr. Anil Jayasinghe, Professor Asitha de Silva and Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe were also present.

(Source: The Island – By Cyril Wimalasurendre)