Doctors In Sri Lanka Warn That The Economic Crisis Could Lead To A Higher Death Toll Than Covid

Amid the political turmoil and economic crisis, Sri Lanka¡¯s doctors have reportedly warned that they are almost out of life-saving medicines and say that the country¡¯s economic crisis threatens a worse death toll than the coronavirus pandemic, as per AFP.

The island nation has been suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 948, with weeks of power blackouts and severe shortages of food, fuel and pharmaceuticals.

AP photo

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As per AFP, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) has said that all hospitals in the country no longer had access to imported medical tools and vital drugs.

Several facilities have already suspended routine surgeries since last month because they were dangerously low on anaesthetics, and the SLMA said that even emergency procedures might not be possible very soon.

Sri Lanka Medical Association released a letter yesterday, which the group had sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It stated ¡°We are made to make very difficult choices. We have to decide who gets treatment and who will not. If supplies are not restored within days, the casualties will be far worse than from the pandemic.¡±

Mounting Pressure On President

Mounting public anger over the crisis has seen large protests calling for the President¡¯s resignation, with thousands of people reportedly even braving heavy rains to keep up a demonstration outside the leader¡¯s seafront office in the capital of Colombo for a second day.

Business leaders, too, had reportedly joined calls for the president to step down over the weekend amidst the island nation¡¯s chronic fuel shortages.

The new finance minister, Ali Sabry, who returned to the parliament after resigning just a day after his appointment last week, had reportedly said on Friday that he expected $3bn from the IMF to support the island¡¯s balance of payments in the next three years.

As per economists, Sri Lanka¡¯s crisis has been exacerbated by government mismanagement, years of accumulated borrowing and ill-advised tax cuts.

And now with the doctors¡¯ latest warning of the possibility of higher death tolls due to economic crisis than the ongoing covid pandemic, it's certainly visible how the island nation is struggling to survive each day, with days continuously going from bad to worse.

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