The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has accused the government of jeopardizing the free health service.
The shortage of medicines and a dearth of human resources will adversely impact the sector, said its spokesman Dr. Chamal Wijesinghe.
Managing an epidemic like the coronavirus will be extremely difficult in this situation, he said.
An increasing number of dengue patients has been reported, with the figure so far this year standing at 39,409.
The media has reported that a large number of doctors, including specialists, are leaving the country.
On May 30, health minister Keheliya Rambukwella admitted a shortage of 111 medicine varieties.
The country needs 383 essential medicines, including 14 life-saving ones.
Dr. Wijesinghe said not just the financial issues, but inefficiency and corruption, fraud and shortcomings in the procurement process are main reasons for the medicines shortage.
Disagreeing with the minister on a short-term solution, he said solutions on the short, medium and long terms should be identified.
Health sector trade union leader Ravi Kumudesh said the Medical Research Institute has now halted 70 essential laboratory tests.
Six leading hospitals have had their CT scanners inoperative for months now among numerous issues with medical equipment in the sector, he added.
