Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna,—To ask the Minister of Health and Mass Media,— (1)

(a) Is he aware that —

(i) most essential medicines including Anastrazole administered to cancer patients are not available at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama; and

(ii) every day, patients who come to the Institute from various areas of Sri Lanka are gravely inconvenienced and have to go back without medicines as a result?

(b) If so, will he inform this House of the measures that have been taken to resolve this issue expeditiously?

(c) Is he also aware that —

(i) although a day-and-night patient care services have been maintained at the Malwathuhiripitiya Regional Hospital in Gampaha District, it has become difficult to run such services further because of transferring its medical staff without substitutes; and

(ii) the patients who arrive there in order to get services from the Hospital concerned are greatly inconvenienced as a result?

(d) Will he also inform this House of the steps that have been taken to resolve this issue expeditiously?

(e) If not why?