From January 1 the Health Ministry has banned all state hospitals to order patients to get blood tests done from the private sector. Disciplinary action will be take against hospital directors who violate this rule, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.
According to the minister, he had already informed Health Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickrama to issue a special circular to all hospital directors informing the new procedure. The circular is valid for all directors of state hospitals with laboratories.
The minister stated that the Health Ministry has already supplied auto analyzers to all state hospitals and therefore getting blood tests from private laboratories banned for the patients who receive treatment from state hospitals.The ban was there since last year for the Colombo National Hospital.
Health Ministry sources said that one auto analyzer cost Rs. 15 million for the government and funds have already been allocated from the budget to supply auto analyzers for all state hospitals. The machine can produce 16 blood reports per every 30 second.