JICA provides additional support to overcome serious medicine shortages

The amendment of Record of Discussion (R/D) of the technical cooperation “Project for Strengthening COVID-19 Response” was successfully concluded on Monday between Additional Secretary of Ministry of Health Dr. Sunil de Alwis and JICA Sri Lanka office Chief Representative Tetsuya Yamada.

The Original Input from JICA for this project was to provide Rs.300 million worth essential equipment for the Teldeniya, Warakapola, Welikanda, Pimbura, Nawalapitiya, Hingurakgoda, Karawanella and Avissawella Base Hospitals (mainly for treatment) and Hambantota District General Hospital (particularly for PCR tests) and to provide online training for strengthening capacities in the preparedness and development for diagnostics and treatment services to combat infectious diseases including COVID-19.

JICA has decided to provide additional support to procure medicine under this project, responding to the serious medicine shortages in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is still facing serious shortages of medicine due to the ongoing crisis. Some hospitals need to suspend their surgeries because of lack of medicines and surgical equipment.

The prices of medicines are rapidly increasing, which are mostly imported but unable to import because of the current situation in Sri Lanka.

The WHO says that the health care system at the national level suffers from shortage of 121 essential medicines as of September 2022. JICA hopes that the additional procurement of medicine contributes to mitigating the serious impact on the health services.

Yamada states that this emergency aid is to secure lifesaving medicines to be procured promptly, and JICA will carry out this support in close cooperation with MOH and other related parties from the Sri Lankan side so that the medicines to be procured will reach people in need as soon as possible. The year 2022 marks the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka.

The Government of Japan as well as JICA have been supporting the Sri Lankan healthcare system for a long time and will continue the cooperation in this sector for further upgrade of quality of medical services and the hospital system in Sri Lanka.