A medicine shortage if sea and air are blocked due to the war?

Health authorities point out that due to continuous blockages in global shipping and air travel routes, there is a risk of a potential crisis in the country's medicine supply in the future. Although there is no current shortage of medicines in the country due to existing buffer stocks, authorities warn that if international transport routes continue to be disrupted, it will severely impact the country's health sector and patient care services.

In light of this situation, the government has already initiated discussions with three leading international organizations regarding urgent procurement methods to meet potential emergency medicine needs. Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, stated that preliminary discussions on the relevant measures have been held with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

In addition to international interventions, internal discussions are already underway with the heads of institutions under the Ministry of Health regarding alternative measures to address potential transport delays in the future. Concurrently, Ministry of Health sources confirm that six types of medicines, sufficient for the next four months, are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka from Iran. These sources further report that the Iranian government has also expressed its agreement to supply these medicines to the country if a need arises in the future.