Demand for cancer drugs on the rise - SPC Chairman

Nadira Gunatilleke

A recent study reveals that the demand for cancer drugs in Sri Lanka is going up rapidly. The Government allocated Rs.10 billion for drugs (all drugs) this year but the cost of total demand has exceeded Rs.13 billion, Chairman, State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC), Ranjith Maligaspe told the Daily News on Wednesday.

Maligaspe said that the SPC will commence producing saline and certain syrups locally in order to cut down the cost. At the moment the Government spends Rs.500 million per year only on importing seline.

The SPC’s turnover for last year (2006) was Rs. 8.08 billion and it was Rs.5.6 billion from the State sector and Rs.2.4 billion from private sector. In 2005 the turnover was Rs. 7.6 billion.

At the moment there are 21 State Osusala outlets countrywide and more outlets to be opened shortly at Galle (adjoining Karapitiya hospital), adjoining to Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, Negombo and a few other areas. There are franchise dealers in the North and East who supply drugs at a low price for the public, he said.

There is a plan to introduce diagnosis service to the public. At the moment the service is available in Colombo only but arrangements have been made to extend this service to other parts of the country allowing people to get medical tests such as blood tests, urine tests, ECG, X-ray done at a concessionary price, he added.