Sri Lanka health chief downplays drug shortage as doctors fret

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has upended the country’s universal health care system, though the health minister and doctors have different takes on the severity of the situation and what needs to be done.

Medical professionals have been sounding the alarm for months over shortages of lifesaving drugs and equipment, saying they are struggling to provide prompt and adequate care to patients. Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, however, downplayed the issues in a recent interview with Nikkei Asia.