Direct relief predicts "Catastrophic deaths" in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Non profit humanitarian organisation Direct Relief warns, Sri Lanka's citizens have lost access to most medicine and medical supplies, setting them on course for a humanitarian disaster.

Following a meeting with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Direct Relief's Manager of Emergency Response Chris Alleway said the situation was grim, and he said that for the "next six months, we are expecting a catastrophic number of deaths."

The Direct Relief staff participated in an extensive series of meetings with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and much of the country’s healthcare leadership.

According to Direct Relief website, the 3,500-bed National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Columbo, which usually has 1,300 medicines in stock, is now down to requesting only the 60 most essential medicines.

Direct Relief goes on to state that anesthesia in the country is in short supply, and most general surgeries in the country have ceased, including kidney transplants. Cancer patients have lost access to medications needed to fight the deadly disease. Diabetes patients must secure and bring their own glucose meters for blood sugar checkups.

According to Direct Relief, many hospitals are stocked out of basic items.

Direct Relief says it delivered eight humanitarian shipments totaling 27 tons and 16 million defined daily doses of donated medicine.

Prime Minister Gunawardena said in a statement, “Direct Relief’s donation of $10 million worth of medicine will save many lives.”