• Health Ministry uninformed
• MSD silent, not responding to media queries
• ‘Swastha’ reveals ‘zero’ stocks

Hospitals across Sri Lanka are struggling with a shortage of peracetic acid (PAA), which is used to disinfect metal surgical and other medical equipment, The Sunday Morning learns.

All Ceylon Nurses’ Union (ACNU) President S.B. Mediwatta stated that this chemical disinfectant was not available in any Government hospitals.

“It is a common item in all hospitals. A large quantity of PAA is needed to disinfect scissors, endoscopes, proctoscopes, and other equipment,” Mediwatta said.

He emphasised the importance of this disinfectant, highlighting that many main units of a hospital required PAA in order to continue providing services in a sanitary and uninterrupted manner.

According to him, the absence of the required quantity of disinfectant has hindered operations conducted by Government hospitals.

“Medical equipment used in various medical units and laboratories is soaked in it for about 10-15 minutes to eradicate germs and ensure proper sanitation,” he continued.

Mediwatta added that although alternative chemicals were being used in place of PAA, due to the ongoing shortage of these chemicals, PAA was essential.

PAA is an organic chemical compound used in numerous applications and mainly as a chemical disinfectant in healthcare.

According to ‘Swastha,’ an information management system covering all hospitals and health institutions in Sri Lanka, PAA stocks are currently at zero.

When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Ministry of Health Additional Secretary (Procurement) Y.L.M. Nawavi stated that they had not received any information in this regard.

Attempts made to contact Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Deputy Director General (Medical Services) Dr. G. Wijesuriya were futile.