Rajitha Senaratne told a meeting in Beruwala that he has instructed his ministry secretary that all medicines needed for cancer patients be provided free of charge. In addition lenses for eye patients and stents needed for heart patients will be given free of charge, he added.
Payments will have to be met for all bills issued by hospital directors for these patients.
A sum of Rs. 1,200 million has been set aside to provide the medicines this year.
In 2017, the funding will be raised to as much as Rs. 4,200 million, the ministry says.
