Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of cancer treatment drugs and other essential medicines.

Rasing the issue in Parliament yesterday (6), he said the shortages are hitting patients in both government and private healthcare institutions.

He said several basic medicines remain out of stock, including Adrenaline, Atropine, Piriton, Ondansetron, Maxolon, Phenergan and Hydrocortisone.

He claimed some of these are unavailable even in private hospitals, which he said has created serious obstacles to essential treatment.

The Opposition Leader said the lack of cancer drugs and other critical medicines adds to the burden on patients who are already struggling to obtain care.

He urged the Government to give the matter urgent attention.

He said ministers must act without delay to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines across the national healthcare system, a step he noted is vital for the safety of patients nationwide.