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* Charging money for heart stents and lenses for cataract patients banned at national hospitals

Thu, Jan 12, 2017, 11:54 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Jan 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has banned charging money for heart stents and lenses for cataract surgery patients at state hospitals.

The Minister instructed the Director General of Colombo National Hospital Dr. Anil Jasinghe to ban heart stent sales representative from entering into the hospital premises.

The order had come after the Health Ministry received information that heart stent sales representatives were trying to sell heart stents, which are given free to patients at state hospitals.

The Health Ministry has reportedly received many complaints from patients and from their guardians that they were being charged by doctors for heart stents and cataract lenses.

Minister Dr. Senaratne has ordered an immediate investigation into the issue.

Medical Supplies Division Director Dr. Lal Panapitiya would issue the relevant circular shortly, under the direction of Minister Dr. Senaratne, said the Media Secretary to the Health Ministry Nipun Ekanayake.