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The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) says it is considering an increase in medicine prices following the depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar.

The Chairman of the NMRA, Specialist Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, stated that relevant procedures are currently underway in this regard.

He noted that initial steps have been taken to revise prices of both imported medicines and locally manufactured pharmaceuticals in response to rising costs.

According to him, price adjustments are also expected for 60 categories of medicines for which maximum retail prices have been set through gazette notifications.

Commenting on the situation, Dr. Wijewickrama said the depreciation of the rupee has led to increased costs across all sectors, which may also impact medicine prices. He added that authorities are currently studying the issue and taking necessary action.

He further explained that the majority of medicines are imported, and while not all drug prices will be increased, some categories are likely to see price hikes.

The US$ 695 million disbursement to Sri Lanka under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility program has been credited to the Treasury.

Sri Lanka received the disbursement following the completion of the Fifth and the Sixth reviews of the IMF Extended Fund Facility.

Last week, the Executive Board of the IMF completed the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews of Sri Lanka’s economic reform program supported by the 48-month Extended Fund Facility. Completion of the combined reviews provides US$ 695 million, bringing the total purchases under the arrangement to SDR1.778 billion (about US$2.4 billion).

The EFF arrangement for Sri Lanka was approved by the Executive Board on March 20, 2023 in an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).

The arrangement supports Sri Lanka’s reform program to durably restore macroeconomic stability by restoring fiscal and debt sustainability while protecting the vulnerable, safeguarding price and financial sector stability, rebuilding external buffers, strengthening governance and reducing corruption vulnerabilities and advancing growth-oriented structural reforms.

Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair said, “Sri Lanka’s strong implementation under the EFF arrangement has continued despite challenging circumstances. Gains from the economic reform program helped preserve economic resilience and provided room to respond to cyclone Ditwah and the Middle East war.”

The Middle East war, however, has significantly worsened Sri Lanka’s economic outlook and tilted risks to the downside, Kenji Okamura noted.

He added, “for 2026, growth is projected to slow down to 3 percent. Higher oil prices would increase inflation and weaken the current account, which would also be adversely impacted by lower tourism receipts. The uncertainty, regarding the war’s intensity and duration, heightens risks to the outlook.”

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has organised a digital payment promotional programme in Trincomalee with the participation of Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the Governor of CBSL, and other senior officials of CBSL.

The programme targets to raise awareness on digital payment methods among government officials, the business community as well as members of the public. 

The programme will take place at the car park near the Central Bus Stand of Trincomalee on June 05 and 06 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the participation of banks, non-bank financial institutions and other stakeholders, the CBSL said in a statement.

The event is a part of a nationwide campaign launched by CBSL under the theme ‘Shaping the future through digital payments’, in collaboration with financial institutions and other stakeholders.

Similar promotional events were successfully held in the Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla and Kurunegala regions, creating widespread awareness and enabling businesses and members of the public to experience the convenience and benefits of digital payments.

The CBSL noted that during the event, the general public will be able to receive personalised assistance from financial institutions, including banks, finance companies and e-money service providers, as well as LankaPay (Pvt.) Ltd, which operates LANKAQR and other interbank digital payment systems in Sri Lanka, to register and effectively use a wide range of digital payment services. 

To practically experience the convenience of digital payments, the attendees will also get the opportunity to purchase a wide range of goods and services from merchant stalls located within the event premises at discounted prices. Additionally, financial institutions will conduct a merchant engagement initiative in the Trincomalee town area for business entities to obtain the LANKAQR payment acceptance facility, the Central Bank added further.

The Indian Naval Ship ‘Airavat’ has arrived in Colombo on a three-day visit.

The ship is carrying critical spares for Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessel Suraksha and essential items for Sri Lanka Navy under a grant from the Government of India, the Indian High Commission in Colombo stated.

According to the High Commission, the grant underscores close maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka.

A total of 237 suspected cases of meningitis have been reported from several parts of Sri Lanka, according to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health.

The surge in cases has also prompted health authorities to issue preventive guidelines to the general public.

Meanwhile, health authorities have advised the public to consume clean drinking water, preferably boiled and cooled, to help curb the spread of the disease.

Speaking on the development, Community Health Specialist Dr. Thushani Dabrera said that the majority of cases reported so far are believed to be viral meningitis infections.

According to Dr. Dabrera, the first cases were detected on April 15 in Deniyaya, Matara. Since then, additional cases have been reported from Rikillagaskada, Kandy, Badulla, Welimada and Diyatalawa.

Health officials noted that schoolchildren account for most of the reported cases. As of yesterday (May 31), only 59 patients remained hospitalized, while the rest had recovered and been discharged.

The primary symptoms associated with the illness include fever, headache, and vomiting. Dr. Dabrera explained that viral meningitis typically resolves within a few days in most patients.

Authorities have established special committees to investigate the outbreak and oversee control measures. The Ministries of Health and Education have also issued special guidelines, citing contaminated drinking water sources as a possible factor in the spread of the disease.

The general public has been advised to ensure that children do not share food with one another and to use clean, boiled, and cooled water at all times as a precautionary measure.