Prices Of Cataract Lenses To Be Reduced By Rs.20,000- Health Minister

The Prices of  Cataract Lenses in the local  market will be reduced by Rs.20,000 within next week according to the Minister Of Health,Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr.Rajitha Senaratne.

Accordingly a Cataract Lens  priced at Rs.30,000 in the local market will be reduced to Rs.10,000 it has been reported.Although Private Medical Companies are importing Cataract lenses from India for Rs.6000 per a Lens, Companies are selling Lenses to the patients for Rs.30,000 per Lens by earning a huge profit Health Minister has stated.

"Some Ophthalmologists(Eye Surgeons) are also involved in importing and selling of Cataract Lenses in Sri Lanka and i have an evidence to prove this"the Minister has stressed.

At present soon after the Health Ministry has instructed the surgeons  attached to the Colombo Eye Hospital to perform Cataract Surgeries through Cataract Lenses purchasing under the  local purchase system ,some Surgeons have stopped performing Cataract Surgeries as a step of opposing the decision  as they are not anymore  allowed to request patients to purchase these Lenses from the  Private Sector the Ministry Of Health has stated.

It is widely believed that through requesting Cataract patients to purchase Cataract Lenses from the Private Sector ,Medical Personal too received huge  commissions.