Due to the drug shortage, patients are charged three times the price for essential medicines.

The Alliance of Doctors for Medical and Civil Rights states that due to the severe shortage of medicines and surgical equipment faced by both government hospitals and the private health sector, patients are forced to purchase essential medical supplies from private vendors at exorbitant prices. Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Alliance, states that taking advantage of the current shortage of medicines in the market, some types of medicines are being sold at more than three times their normal value.

Giving an example for this, the doctor points out that an anesthetic ointment containing 'lignocaine', which should cost around Indian Rupees 150 or Sri Lankan Rupees 600, is currently being sold for nearly Rupees 2,000. He alleges that due to this shortage created in the market, private sector suppliers have been given the opportunity to unfairly raise prices, and that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority is not taking proper legal action or providing adequate regulation in this regard.

Furthermore, the President revealed that various types of unregistered medicines are still being illegally brought into the country via sea routes. He also reminded that the Sri Lanka Customs and Navy have recently conducted raids and seized several consignments of such illegally imported medicines. Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa further warned that if the government does not intervene promptly to overcome the existing medicine shortage and streamline the regulatory process, people will be forced to purchase substandard medicines at very high prices in the future, and this could put patients' lives at severe health risk.