22 July 2023 12:00 am Views - 95
By Dayaratne Embogama
Governor of the North Central Province Maheepala Herath said the hospitals under the Provincial Council were facing a severe shortage of medical specialists.
Commenting on prevailing vacancies in staff and the shortage of drugs in hospitals in the province, he told the media that several base hospitals had been left without any specialist doctor.
“Kahatagasdigiliya Base Hospital should have two specialist doctors, but there is none while Medawachchiya and Kahatagasdigiliya Base Hospitals each has one specialist doctor. However, any shortage of drugs has not been reported from hospitals under the Provincial Council. The usual practice is that the hospital authorities would inform me of a shortage of drugs, if any, but I have not heard from them about any such.” The Governor further said.
Meanwhile, Director of Health Services, North Central Province Dr. Palitha Bandara said hospitals in the North Central Province were facing a shortage of 30 pharmacists and a shortage of more than 50 nursing officers. He denied any severe shortage of drugs.
However, the Director of Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital Dr. Dulan Samaraweera said his hospital was not facing a shortage of drugs or staff vacancies.