Authorities refute claims of shortage of contact lenses in hospitals

The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena emphasizes that the statements made by several parties that there is a shortage of contact lenses within hospitals across the country including the National Eye Hospital in Colombo are not true.

Joining a press conference held in Colombo, Dr. Gunawardena stated that the eye surgeries are being carried out in those hospitals as usual.

“Even now, the medical supplies division has sufficient stocks of lenses in different strengths. We perform surgeries in hospitals where there is an eye surgeon, especially in the National Eye Hospital, teaching hospitals and other hospitals where there are eye surgeons available.”

“The surgeries are carried out as usual.  There are no postponements in the surgeries.”

Meanwhile, General Manager of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Dinusha Dissanayake mentioned that there will be no shortage of the contact lenses in terms of available stocks and the stocks that have been ordered so far.