The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) claimed that obtaining medicines for haemophilia patients has become difficult. 

This is because the necessary documents for procuring several new medications, essential for maintaining their quality of life, have not been properly prepared and submitted, the MCPA charged.

In patients with haemophilia, one of the essential clotting factor proteins is partially or completely missing, causing prolonged bleeding.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the MCPA President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa alleged that the shortage of Factor VIII (a clotting protein that treats bleeding in people with haemophilia A) and Factor IX (a type of injection used to treat haemophilia B), which are essential for managing haemophilia, and the newly adopted drug Emicizumab (a humanised bispecific monoclonal antibody that restores the function of the missing activated Factor VIII) poses a significant risk to patients' lives. "In the past, the Health Ministry had procured Factor VIII, but, due to concerns raised by medical specialists about its quality, purchases from the relevant supplier were halted. The relevant units of the Ministry have since failed to submit the necessary documents to procure these drugs. Instead, the practice of procuring pharmaceutical drugs based on the interests of certain individuals within the health system continues. This situation causes great harm to patients." charged Dr. Sanjeewa. 

Speaking further, he said that the Ministry spends a significant amount annually on medical treatment for haemophilia patients, and that the use of Emicizumab, a drug widely adopted worldwide, would help control long-term costs and offer high effectiveness. However, since each vial of this new drug costs United States Dollars 1,700, he claimed that the Ministry has not yet approved its procurement.

Health Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe was not available for comment.