ICUs face threat of shutdown due to shortages of drugs, equipment

By Rathindra Kuruwita

President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) Ravi Kumudesh told The Island yesterday that the Intensive Care Units (ICU) and High Dependency Units (HDU) at hospitals would have to suspend operations due to a shortages of drugs and equipment.

Kumudesh said that hospitals did not have reagents needed for blood gas analysers, which were essential for ICUs and HDUs to function.

“Because of this, patients who are in ventilators are in serious danger. The Ministry of Health needs to pay about Rs. 300 million to those who supply reagents. Because the Ministry has not paid suppliers, the companies are refusing to keep the supply going,” he said.

Some of the local suppliers had gone bankrupt because the Ministry had not paid them, while the others had become blacklisted, Kumudesh said.

“Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed Ruwan Wijewardene to look into the problems in the health sector. However, Wijewardene has not yet held discussions with stakeholders,” he said.