Govt. should play a role in regulating prices of pharmaceutical drugs : DR. HANIFFA

While we condemn strikes wholeheartedly we also need to ensure that doctors’ salaries have been paid and their concerns are also being met

Sri Lanka’s health sector has gone through certain improvements, but lack of accessibility, facilities and a dearth of doctors, are matters that need to be looked into. Apart from that, soaring prices of pharmaceutical drugs add to the high cost of living.

“If you take the healthcare delivery system statistics show that around 11 million people visit all orthopedic units while six million people go to hospitals for ambulatory primary care,” said Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa, Immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Consultant Family Physician and lecturer in Family medicine at Family Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. “Therefore the focus of the health system should shift from hospital to primary care. Road traffic accidents are on the rise and about seven people die every day. So the Government has to take care of such casualties as well. But instead of that we could prevent these incidents from happening by imposing laws and having a proper traffic plan. Some other concerns include strengthening and improving the delivery of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with a particular reference to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), stringent controls on dangerous drugs, alcohol and tobacco and ending violence / ragging in universities and corporal punishment in schools,” the doctor said.

He also suggested that a top priority of the new government should be to declare 2020 as a Year of Tolerance in Sri Lanka. When asked about doctors going on strike and inconveniencing patients, Dr. Haniffa opined that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. “This shows the lack of discipline in the system. While we condemn strikes wholeheartedly we also need to ensure that doctors’ salaries have been paid and their concerns are also being met. The system is corrupt to the extent that even if you want to do away with strikes, the system doesn’t allow for it,” Dr.haniffa added.

When asked about the exorbitant prices of drugs, he said that prices of 52 essential drugs have been reduced including those prescribed for non-communicable diseases. “You can’t increase the prices of pharmaceutical drugs by holding people to ransom. So the Government has to play a role in regulating the prices of drugs. On the other hand we have to establish a quality control laboratory. The private sector should play a part in this process. They need to focus on quality and pricing standards,” he went on.

The system is corrupt to the extent that even if you want to do away with strikes, the system doesn’t allow for it,” Dr.haniffa added