A public fund will be initiated for the Maharagama Cancer Hospital by the Health Ministry to purchase necessary drugs for cancer patients. The need for cancer control drugs at the hospital is such that the public too would have to contribute towards their purchase.

A spokesperson for the Cancer Control Programme said yesterday (09) that several awareness programmes will be carried out for the public to induce them to contribute towards the fund. At present the Health Department alone cannot cater to the requirement.

The shortage of several drugs at the Maharagama Cancer Institute was brought to the notice of Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva during the Suwa Udana Program which also screens women for breast and Cervical cancers.

Sources said the hospital was facing a crisis in providing breast cancer patients with two types of drugs namely; Anastrozole and Letorozole which should be taken on a daily basis for a month.