Sunday Observer: 29/05/2005
Medical supplies and food items received from abroad in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster are lying unutilised in three stores run by the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) of the Health Ministry at Deans Road, Narahenpita and Wellawatta in Colombo.
These include among others substantial quantities of infant milk powder, baby cream, biscuits, soap, Magi noodles, surgical gloves, drugs and syringes. Some of these items are perishable and some others would go out of date if not distributed early.
Some of the medical accessories like syringes are in short supply in outstation hospitals. It is not clear whether these items are inventoried or whether there has been any attempt to distribute them for the last five months. Health officials confirmed the existence of large stocks of relief goods but said that they await requisitions from hospitals to distribute them.
When contacted by the Sunday Observer Health, Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva promised to inquire into the matter and distribute the goods early.
Medical supplies and food items received from abroad in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster are lying unutilised in three stores run by the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) of the Health Ministry at Deans Road, Narahenpita and Wellawatta in Colombo.
These include among others substantial quantities of infant milk powder, baby cream, biscuits, soap, Magi noodles, surgical gloves, drugs and syringes. Some of these items are perishable and some others would go out of date if not distributed early.
Some of the medical accessories like syringes are in short supply in outstation hospitals. It is not clear whether these items are inventoried or whether there has been any attempt to distribute them for the last five months. Health officials confirmed the existence of large stocks of relief goods but said that they await requisitions from hospitals to distribute them.
When contacted by the Sunday Observer Health, Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva promised to inquire into the matter and distribute the goods early.
