President wants reduction in imported pharmaceuticals

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday stressed the importance of providing better and efficient health services to the public. He was of the opinion that more pharmaceuticals needed to be produced locally in order to reduce the number of pharmaceutical items imported from foreign countries.

The President made these observations at a discussion held at Temple Trees with a view of obtaining the observations of Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministries for the preparation of 2012 budget proposals.

President Rajapaksa said the government allocated a massive sum of money for healthcare and emphasized that the public should be given a better service. The discussion also focused on the distribution of medicines among hospitals and medical institutions. Officials of the Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministries detailed the strategies that have already been implemented to meet the Millennium Development Goals in terms of health services.

They also explained the programmes launched by the two ministries for the realization of targets outlined in the Mahinda Chintana policy framework. The programmes that are to be implemented in the ensuing year also came under discussion.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake, Deputy Ministers Lalith Dissanayake and Pandu Bandaranayake and Mini- stry Secretaries also participated.