The World Bank has approved a grant of $10 million as an emergency fund for crisis-hit Sri Lanka for the purchase of essential drugs, Finance Minister Ali Sabri has confirmed, days after doctors issued a public appeal for assistance amid a severe shortage of essential and life-saving drugs.

Faced with a severe economic crisis, Sri Lanka is struggling to import essentials like food, fuel, and medicines. Several hospitals have been running low on critical life savings drugs. The assistance from the World Bank came after Finance Minister Ali Sabri held talks with World Bank officials.

Importantly, the World Bank will further approve an additional $500 million in grants for supplies of medicines and other essentials, including gas, Sabri confirmed to Daily Mirror.

On Sunday, neonatologists in the country made a desperate call for urgent medical supplies to treat and save newborns needing emergency care, reported The Hindu.  They complained of the severe shortage of essentials gripping the country that is battling an unprecedented economic crisis.

Apart from hospitals, laboratories have also struggled to procure essential basic ingredients required for tests. Several government-run hospitals are avoiding surgeries, citing a shortage of equipment.

On Sunday the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) said that all hospitals in the country no longer had access to imported medical tools and vital drugs. In a letter sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the association said, “We are made to make very difficult choices. We have to decide who gets treatment and who will not.”

Among its South Asian neighbors, Sri Lanka has the best public health system, with an “outstanding” neonatal mortality rate. But that rating could significantly change with the worsening crisis.

(SAM)