Patients in dilemma:

Pharmacies sans pharmacists

Sakuntala JAYASINGHE and Upali TILLEKERATNE

Patients who have to purchase their medicine from private pharmacies in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts, lament that their lives are in danger as most pharmacies lack qualified pharmacists to issue their drugs on prescriptions. They allege that most of these pharmacies have employed amateurs to issue drugs and there is a possibility that they may sometimes issue the wrong drug putting their lives at stake Provincial Health Minister Peshala Jayaratne when contacted said, he too has received several complaints regarding this matter and the issue is largely due to the failure on the part of food and drug inspectors to take legal action against errant pharmacies.

There is much to be desired regarding the assistance his Ministry received from the Provincial Health Services Director's office in upgrading the provincial health services.