A high-level discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to address the regularization of the national drug supply process. The meeting was attended by Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, and senior officials from the Ministry of Health.
The discussions focused on the procurement and distribution of essential medicines across the country. During the meeting, President Dissanayake instructed the relevant officials to streamline the existing mechanism to ensure the uninterrupted supply of necessary medicines, emphasizing the need to avoid shortages and delays.
Special attention was paid to the issues and weaknesses currently affecting the drug procurement and distribution system. The President stressed the urgency of resolving these challenges and called for effective solutions to address drug shortages reported in certain hospitals.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to public healthcare, President Dissanayake affirmed that the Treasury has already allocated the required funds for medicine procurement. He urged all stakeholders to work together with dedication to guarantee the delivery of high-quality health services to the people.
The meeting was also attended by Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Senior Assistant Secretary (Procurement) W.S.N. Botheju, Chairman of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation Dr. Manuj C. Weerasinghe, Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation Professor Jayantha Wijeyabandara, Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, along with a group of senior health ministry officials.
