The private healthcare sector should be regulated to improve services offered to patients to ensure that their hard-earned money has value, said Nawaloka Holdings Chairman, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa at a recent event at the hospital to mark World Women’s Day.
“There are no two words about having proper regulations for private sector healthcare so that people needing care will receive a superior service rather than having to face difficulties,” he said, and added that there is scope for improvement in service standards in the healthcare sector of the country.
The common perception today is that patients receive insufficient attention from medical practitioners who are more inclined towards making money rather than offering their services. Indifference, harshness and disregard for time by certain doctors are some of the common complaints. Besides access to healthcare services, affordability of medicines is a major challenge to most patients, particularly the low income segment who are left high and dry due to the staggering cost of drugs.
The price of drugs prescribed for heart and cancer patients is beyond the reach of the average income earner. Senior citizens who live on income earned from interest are in a precarious state today being unable to access the sky-high prices of medical drugs due to the drastic reduction in interest rates.
“We have no control on prices as most of the medicines are imported. On service standards we have shown who we are,” Dr. Dharmadasa also said.
However, the implementation of a national drug policy with a proper regulation of medical drug prices that will enable access to quality and affordable drugs is yet to see the light of day. Nawaloka Hospitals marked International Women’s Day with it’s over 1,800 female work force with an engaging event at the hospital auditorium in Colombo. Artistes such as Sangeetha Weeraratne and Yashodha Wimaladharma and award-winning female entrepreneur, speaker and global Goodwill Ambassador, Nayomi Hadunnetti were also present.
Nawaloka Hospitals Deputy Chairman, Harshith Dharmadasa said, “For us at Nawaloka Hospitals, Women’s Day is something that is celebrated every day. In 2021, we believe it is vital to appreciate and recognise the immense contribution that our female workforce has made during one of the toughest years the world has yet faced. The past year in particular, we saw our healthcare staff bravely, committedly champion the front lines to battle in a war new to all mankind”.
“Our predominantly female nursing staff were in the thick of it, day in, day out.
These persevering powerhouses have helped shape Nawaloka’s healthcare practice into the exceptional service it is today and we’re hoping that they may inspire our younger generations to one day follow in their footsteps, to break stereotypes and push the boundaries of clinical excellence,” he also said.
