COLOMBO: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishnakar, who was in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, offered assistance to a government hospital that had to cease all surgeries due to a scarcity of drugs.

Disturbed by reports that all surgeries at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital in Kandy have been halted, Jaishnakar asked Gopal Baglay, the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, to investigate how New Delhi could aid in addressing the matter.

Following that, an Indian ambassador phoned senior medical personnel at the hospital and inquired about the medications required to continue routine surgery.

Due to a serious scarcity of medications, including anaesthetic drug Neostigmine, which is used to reverse the effects of anaesthesia medication used during surgery, hospital management decided to postpone all procedures at a meeting on Monday.

Due to the acute dollar crisis, Sri Lanka has cut back on major imports, including vital pharmaceuticals, resulting in a shortage of essential medicines in both state and private hospitals and pharmacies.

India has offered Sri Lanka approximately USD2.5 billion in financial aid since January, including a USD1 billion credit line on March 17 to purchase medication, food, and other essentials.

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