President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the government plans to overhaul how patients access healthcare, moving away from a system where patients directly decide which hospital or specialist to visit.
Under the proposed system, families will have access to a primary-care doctor through new 1000 “Arogya” centres. Patients would generally require a referral from their primary doctor before seeking treatment at a major hospital.
“If it is something that can be managed by drinking some koththamalli and taking some rest, then go home and rest. If medicine is prescribed, take it. Even when medicine is given, people don’t take all of it. This is a waste, and this is a crime,” the President said.
Dissanayake said Sri Lanka, despite having a population of around 22 million, records about 80 million outpatient visits annually across the state hospitals, arguing that the current system lacks proper coordination. (Newswire)