Sri Lanka government hospitals to charge patients treated for alcohol and smoking related illnesses

Sri Lanka Health Ministry's initiative to charge patients receiving treatment for ailments related to the consumption of alcohol and smoking comes in to effect from today.

The Health Ministry states that in the event a doctor concludes that a patient's illness had been caused due to either smoking or consuming alcohol, he would be charged for the treatment received.

Ministry statistics have revealed that almost 90 percent of the non contagious diseases being treated at state hospitals are due to consuming liquor, smoking, or drug abuse.