* Pethidine imported, but not enough, says Sri Lanka health officials
Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 13:54 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Feb 24, Colombo: Although the Sri Lankan government has imported a large stock of the injectable pain killer Pethidine, commonly known as Demerol to the country last week, most of the hospitals in the country are experiencing another shortage again.

Sri Lanka Health Ministry confirmed that they have imported injectable Pethidine from India to overcome the shortage, but it was not sufficient at the moment to meet the demand at government hospitals.

According to the Director of the Supply division of the Health Ministry, Dr. Sarath Weerabandara the government has imported nearly 18,600 units of Pethidine from India last Saturday.

However government hospitals in the country have ordered 13,000 units from this stock already, Dr. Weerabandara added. The remaining stock is only sufficient for another three days.

Government hospitals in North and East use Pethidine mostly for the injured soldiers to relieve pain as it is less habit forming than morphine.