The Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry had provided over 72,100 capsules of Atrozole and Letorozole required for treating breast cancer hospitals by December 10. The Maharagama Cancer Hospital alone had received 43,610 of the stock while the estimated requirement was only 39,000.

A spokesman for the Health Ministry said yesterday (12) that reports about a shortage of these drugs were wrong.

Health Ministry vehemently denied a shortage of these two capsules. The Director of the Medical Supplies Division, Dr. H. Beneragama had reassured the Health Secretary that they had enough stocks of these drugs. "Any of the Cancer treating hospitals only need to ask us for a replenishment of the stock," sources said.

Giving a breakdown of the numbers given to the various cancer treating hospitals the spokesman said that the Kandy Teaching Hospital had received 14,156 capsules where the requirement was only 13,000. The Karapitiya Teaching Hospital was given 4,564 where the estimated need was 6,000 capsules, The Jaffna Teaching Hospital required 7,200 and was given 3,052 capsules. The Teaching Hospitals of Kurunegala and Anuradhapura were given 952 and 816 respectively.

"These hospitals only need to ask us if they need more - but they had not," he said.

On the installation of the Linear Accelertor Machine at the Maharagama Cancer Institute, the spokesman said the physician who was to operate the machine made maximum use of the Health Ministry by acquiring all the training and scholarships available and then joined a private sector hospital leaving the Maharagama Cancer Hospital and the Health Ministry in the lurch."

The Cobalt machine was used in treating cancer earlier. The treatment not only killed cancerous cells but also the caused damage to healthy cells. The Linear Accelerator Machine only destroys the cancer cells, he explained.