Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr Rajitha Senaratne has decided to reduce the prices of surgical equipment, coinciding with the move to slash the price of essential medicinal drugs.
As the first step of this, a decision has been taken to reduce the prices of contact lenses.
The minister states that complaints have been received from patients regarding the excessive prices of contact lenses at private hospitals.
Information has been received that certain contact lenses are being imported from India for the price of Rs 6,000 but are being sold to patients at prices over Rs 25,000.
A contact lens can be sold at around Rs 10,000 though price regulation while the Health Minister has instructed the National Drug Regulatory Authority to prepare a proper mechanism with regard to surgical equipment.
