COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
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7 MARCH <strong>2012</strong> SRI LANKA<br />
Centre is equipped for oral, breast, colorectal, stomach and cervical cancer screening,<br />
as well as for genetic testing to identify high-risk families. Tests such as mammography,<br />
colonoscopy, endoscopy, laryngoscopy, ultrasound screening and x-ray are performed<br />
at the centre in comfortable and pleasant surroundings. The unit also provides<br />
brachytherapy, radioactive iodine treatment and chemotherapy infusions. The Centre's<br />
Radiation Treatment Unit also offers Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) with<br />
a state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator‘. Dr Ariyaratne told us that the cost of this treatment<br />
is around Rs 500,000 (£ 2,835) and there is a 2 week waiting list. This compares with<br />
the treatment offered by the Cancer Institute which had a 3 week – one month waiting<br />
list, but was free of charge.<br />
―We asked Dr Ariyaratne if, in his opinion, cancer patients in Sri Lanka from all<br />
backgrounds were able to access all of the available treatment. He said that obviously<br />
patients with money could access treatment both in Sri Lanka and abroad. The public<br />
sector did offer flexibility for patients from poorer backgrounds however. He explained<br />
that the institute sometimes referred patients for treatment in Singapore or Australia. In<br />
many cases relatives and friends rallied round to raise funds for this treatment, but the<br />
Institute could apply on the patients‘ behalf for a grant from the President‘s Fund. Each<br />
application was considered on its own merits and if successful, the patient was awarded<br />
sums to assist with the financing of the required treatment. Dr Ariyaratne added that the<br />
high cost of chemotherapy treatment meant that they often had to justify treatment in a<br />
letter written to the Ministry of Health with an assessment, which included the patients‘<br />
ability to contribute to the cost of the treatment.‖<br />
23.17 The same BHC letter 456 added:<br />
―With regard to the availability of drugs for cancer treatment, we were told that for many<br />
years the government of Sri Lanka purchased these drugs from Switzerland. However,<br />
in recent years the government had purchased them from manufactures in India,<br />
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Although they were not as pure as the Swiss<br />
made ones, they were getting better and were now reaching a similar standard.<br />
Unfortunately these drugs do not have a long shelf life so the government are unable to<br />
buy in bulk and stockpile, particularly when the demand for specific drugs for specific<br />
cancers is not great. As a result, for patients undergoing long-term treatment, the supply<br />
of these drugs can be erratic. Also, there were often occasions where the government<br />
had purchased fake drugs because no quality control check had been carried out. Dr<br />
Ariyaratne added that many drugs companies now offered credit facilities to general<br />
pharmacies which had resulted in more pharmacists making drugs for cancer treatment<br />
readily available.‖<br />
KIDNEY DIALYSIS<br />
23.18 A letter from the British High Commission (BHC) Colombo 457 dated 30 January <strong>2012</strong><br />
reported:<br />
―On 26 January <strong>2012</strong> we spoke to Mrs Janet Gunsesekara who is the head of the<br />
Kidney Patient‘s Welfare Society (KWPS). She gave us an update on the treatment of<br />
kidney patients in Sri Lanka.<br />
456 British High Commission (BHC), Colombo letter dated 29 January <strong>2012</strong><br />
457 British High Commission (BHC) Colombo, letter dated 30 January <strong>2012</strong><br />
The main text of this <strong>COI</strong> <strong>Report</strong> contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section<br />
to 2 <strong>March</strong> <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
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