Death at Peradeniya Hospital Drug shortage force Doctors to use drugs with severe complications: Dr. Nalinda

• Says inferior quality drugs purchased

By Ajith Siriwardana   

The recent death of the young woman at the Peradeniya  Hospital has been caused due to the shortage of drugs where the  consultants and the doctors had been compelled to use available drugs as  there had been no drugs with less complications in the hospital at the  moment, NPP politburo member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday.   

He told a news conference that he never refused to admit  that certain drugs and injections could lead to complications one in  100,000, 500,000 or 1,000,000.   

 He said the Minister and Ministry officials purchase  inferior quality drugs by taking this drug shortage to their advantage  by putting the lives of people in danger.   

Dr. Jayatissa said it was reported that some deaths had  been caused due to the use of the drug ‘propofol’ and added that it had been  used despite complaints made by several hospitals that this drug had  led to complications.   

“Homagama Hospital had reported about propofol on May 15. But,  no action had been taken. Teldeniya and Matara Hospitals also  reported complications of this drug in mid-May. Anesthesiologist  at the Peradeniya Hospital had complained about complications of this  drug. No action was taken regarding this matter despite so many  complaints until a death occurred at the Eye Hospital in Colombo,” he  said.   

He said people are in a quandary about seeking treatment and undergoing surgeries thereby losing faith in government hospitals.   

Dr. Jayatissa said a proper investigation should be conducted into all these incidents and reveal the truth to the people.