Colombo, May 31 -- Plans are afoot to obtain direct assistance from foreign governments to secure essential medicines, until present issues within the medicine supply chain are resolved and disruptions are minimised, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media said.

The Ministry said it has recently presented a Cabinet Paper on this and upon approval, the Cabinet has instructed the establishment of a committee to facilitate the direct procurement of medicines from foreign governments.

This committee is to oversee and implement future steps under this mechanism.

Under this process, and with the agreement of the National Procurement Commission, the Ministry will submit the proposal to the Cabinet once again for the necessary final approvals....