Existing regulations hinder efforts to resolve the medicine shortage – Health Minister

Certain existing laws and regulations have become obstacles in addressing the current medicine shortage, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has said.

The Health Minister stated that although some may question why the government, even with a two-thirds majority, cannot amend these laws, it must be understood that many of these regulations are not recent, but date back to the British colonial era.

He made these remarks while attending the opening ceremony of the Vipassi Buddhist Center, located within the premises of the Colombo National Hospital.

Speaking at the event, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa emphasised that any attempt to amend the current laws and regulations must be done with great care, as they are interconnected and cannot be changed in isolation.

He also pointed out that while operating the healthcare system in Sri Lanka, strictly following some of these outdated laws and procedures takes time, making it difficult to find immediate solutions to certain urgent issues. As a result, there are occasions when the government has to rely on the support of donors, philanthropists, and international diplomatic donations to manage the situation, said the Health Minister.