Jan 13, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Health says that the people of Sri Lanka have taken 820 million tablets of paracetamol in 2012.

Of that, 570 million tablets have been issued by the government hospitals. The Ministry says that it is an increase of 250 million tablets compared to the previous year.

Ministry sources said the Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena has expressed amazement regarding the stunning figures.

According to Health Ministry statistics Sri Lankans use around 1.5 million paracetamol tablets a day or around 47 million tablets monthly.

The Minister has instructed the officials to look into the increasing consumption and to report him. He has further instructed to advise the medical professionals to be wiser when prescribing medicine.