No more free medication for Sri Lanka's drug addicts and alcoholics from 2011

Sri Lanka Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena said today that the laws would be amended to restrict free medical facilities to the drug addicts and alcoholics.

The Minister addressing a ceremony held at the Nursing Training School in Kurunegala to award appointment letters to new nurses said that the government is spending massive amount of public money to cure the ailments caused by alcohol and drug abuse.

Accordingly, the Minister said that the patients with illnesses caused due to abuse of alcohols and drugs would have to pay for their treatments from 2011.
The aim of this move is not to slash the public expenses but to create a pious society under the 'Mathata Thitha' policy of the government.