Health ministry investigators recently found a stock of hesperin injections worth Rs. 27 mn worth, at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital amidst media reports of a severe shortage of some medicine needed for the treatment of cancer patients.
Ministry sources told The Island that investigators had found about 800 injections, each worth Rs. 245,000 in the medical stores. Responding to a query, sources said that Healthcare Minister Maithripala Sirisena had ordered a special inquiry.
Subsequent to the detection, the hospital administration has assured Minister Sirisena that fresh stocks of hesperin wouldn’t be needed for two years.
Minister Sirisena revealed this at a recent confab in Polonnaruwa.
Minister Sirisena has recently revealed that he personally authorises a medical package worth Rs. 10 mn each to about 10 to 15 patients on a weekly basis. The State spent Rs. 9 mn each on about 100 patients, the Minister has said.