The Ministry of Health states that the national requirement of pharmaceutical drugs has increased by 35 % during the past year.

According to the Ministry an additional 500 million rupees has been spent

to purchase the additional drug requirement during the past year.

Moreover the ministry attributes the escalation in pharmaceutical drug costs to decision taken by it, where as it was decided to have Out Patient Department's of all state owned hospitals open until 8.30 p.m.

The ministry of health notes that the permeation of non-communicable disease has also acted as a catalyst to further pharmaceutical drug costs.

While a decision has been taken by the ministry of health to make available the services of estate hospitals until 8 p.m., it notes that this would also contribute to a further escalation in the purchase of pharmaceutical drug costs.