Computerised Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans at the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) have been halted due to a delay in the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Director’s approval to import the machine’s equipment and materials, the hospital’s Radiologists said.
The Radiologists said they had been waiting for several months for the clearance of the documents in this respect. “We have not done any PET scans for about two months. The installments due for radioactive material imported from India had not been paid. There are arrears of Rs. 40 million to be paid. The payments have not been made despite notifying Health Ministry officials,” they said. PET imaging is done for about 20-30 cancer patients per week. The delay adversely affects their well-being and recovery.