Rs 15 b spent on terminal cancer patients

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Health Ministry spent Rs 15 billion last year to provide special treatment for 5,000 cancer patients who were in the last stages of cancer. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena every week signs 50 to 60 files to purchase special drugs for cancer patients in the last stages, a ministry spokesman said.

He said certain drugs, cancer patients require in the last stages, cost around Rs 300,000.

“A majority of these patients die within six months. The ministry provides expensive drugs through the Medical Supplies Division on humanitarian grounds. The ministry will appoint a special board with specialist doctors to consider such requests by specialist doctors for special drugs. The drugs of the same quality are available at cheaper prices,” the spokesman said.

He said the ministry allocates funds to purchase the brand prescribed by the doctor. “The board will consider the requests and forward the files to the minister for approval. The main objective of appointing the board is to save funds to treat curable cancer patient,” the spokesman said.