The WHO Director-General also said that the WHO will closely monitor the health risks to the population including the functionality and resilience of the health system and provide the necessary technical assistance to strengthen provincial health services reported Colombo Gazette.
Pharmaceutical firms based in the hill state, aren't able to take a call on whether to export the medicines as there is a fear of payments getting delayed due to the turmoil.
"Don't get ill, don't get injured, don't do anything that will make you go to a hospital for treatment unnecessarily," said Samath Dharmaratne, president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association. "That is how I can explain it; this is a serious situation."
Several medicines and medical importers have stopped importing due to the financial crisis caused by the dollar crunch along with transportation and order placing issues, the local media reported.
By Yoshita Singh United Nations, Jun 10 (PTI) The United Nations has made an appeal for USD 47.
India also provided free ambulances to the service which now runs in all provinces of Sri Lanka and played an instrumental role in its fight against COVID 19.
Sri Lanka imports more than 80% of its medical supplies but with foreign currency reserves running out because of the crisis, essential medications are disappearing from shelves and the healthcare system is close to collapse.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution in the state Assembly urging the Central government to permit the state government to send essential commodities including rice, pulses, dairy products and medicines to Sri Lanka amid the ongoing economic crisis.
As a goodwill gesture, Bangladesh has sent emergency medical supplies to Sri Lanka as the island nation is undergoing a severe economic crisis.
This decision will impact the most commonly used medicines as their rates are expected to spike.
A shortage of supply of certain drugs occurred due to the delay in opening Letters of Credit in time including one given by India, Sri Lanka's Newswire reported. The report said several solutions have been identified to that effect, and they are being implemented.
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