GMOA calls for better management of drugs and medical aid

By Damitha Hemachandra
January 05, 2005

The GMOA yesterday said that at least 80 air cargo medication stocks sent as tsunami disaster relief were stuck at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) due to the lack of pharmacists to categorise the drugs.
The GMOA also called for a better management of drugs and medical aid through the central medical supply coordinator of the Health Ministry to prevent misuse and mismanagement of pharmaceuticals.
"There are many incidents of drugs and medical care not being directed on demand but purely on political grounds," GMOA secretary, Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya said.
He said that the Sri Lankan government should request the dispatch of necessary medication and medical assistance without blindly accepting any pharmaceuticals or assistance given by foreign donors.
According to Dr. Padeniya, a proper programme of preventive medicine should be launched to prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases.
The GMOA also stressed the need of employing local doctors with the foreign medical volunteers to increase the efficiency and avoid language problems.
The GMOA had suggested to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) to provide each Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in tsunami struck areas with a group of 15 doctors with epidemiological, paediatric, surgical and other specialisations to handle the present demands while providing them with enough resources relieving each group at the end of three months.
They called upon the government to relocate residential, medical and public services in coastal areas beyond the risk zone of 600 meters to avoid future disasters.
The GMOA meanwhile said yesterday that the government was nearly one week late to act upon the safety of the orphaned and single parent children at refugee camps.
"There is a trend of child disappearances from refugee camps and hospitals while some children were lost due to negligence of the authorities," Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya said stressing the necessity of having temporary centres to house these children away from regular refugee camps.
The GMOA suggested that less occupied district hospitals in the tsunami struck areas could be used for this purpose, since they have the capacity and human and physical resources to house the orphaned children.
They also sought an immediate discussion with the Health Ministry, Probation and Child Care Department, police and the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) to layout an action plan on the future of children orphaned by the tsunami.
Dr. Padeniya revealed that the GMOA is presently holding discussions with the NCPA on ensuring a safe future for orphaned children with plans to rehabilitate them through counselling with the assistance of UNICEF volunteer groups.