A circular (No 01-08-2016) to this effect has been issued to all hospitals by Health Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala. This is in response to a request by Justice and Buddhasasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to the Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister recently.

Minister Rajapakshe had pointed out that the Maha Sangha had met him recently and pointed out the difficulty in getting their drugs and diagnostics done from outside after hospitalisation as they were cash strapped.

They have said bhikkus in Aranya Senasanayas specially faced this difficulty since they did not handle money and lived a frugal life. As such he had requested that all drugs and medical examinations of bhikkus entering state hospitals be met by the respective institutions themselves without channelling them to outside sources.