Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Tuesday, 7 October 2025 02:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa |
Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that several long-standing laws and regulations are obstructing efforts to address the ongoing shortage of medicines in the country.
He noted that while some question why the Government cannot amend these laws despite having a Parliamentary majority, many of the regulations in question are not new but inherited from the British colonial period.
Speaking at the opening of the Vipassi Buddhist Centre at the Colombo National Hospital, Dr. Jayatissa stressed that legal reforms in the health sector must be approached carefully, as existing rules are interlinked and cannot be amended in isolation.
He further explained that strictly adhering to these outdated provisions slows down decision-making and makes it difficult to respond swiftly to urgent challenges in the health system. As a result, he said, the Government is often compelled to depend on assistance from donors, philanthropists, and international partners to manage shortages and maintain medical supplies.
