Health emergency declared in Sri Lanka

The decision was announced following a meeting of the country’s Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) General Committee on Emergencies to discuss the imposition of the state of emergency law and severe drug shortages, the Daily Mirror reported.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Shenal Fernando said this decision to announce the health emergency was made to protect patients’ lives.

During a meeting, the GMOA announced that there would be a serious drug shortage in the country due to poor government management.

The Sri Lankan newspaper said that the current drug shortage will develop into a very serious situation in the future if the current economic crisis continues.

Earlier on February 12, the government declared the public health service an essential service.

“After health services were declared essential, the government should have secured the supply of essential medicines in the country,” said Dr. Fernando.

Therefore, the government and the health ministry should take full responsibility for the emergency medicine shortage, he added.

Sri Lanka on Saturday imposed a three-day island-wide curfew after mass protests erupted in Colombo over public dissatisfaction with the government’s efforts to deal with the economic crisis that has gripped the country.

The Sri Lankan President on Friday declared a nationwide state of emergency to ensure “public safety and the maintenance of public order”.