Colombo (LNW): Nine transactions related to medicines with serious contamination concerns have been identified, in a recent audit report covering up to December 2022.
The Health Ministry and the Medical Supply Division of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) have raised significant concerns about the manner in which the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) managed the importation of several drugs into Sri Lanka, including Frusamide, Trastuzimab, Ceftraixone, Diclofenac Sodium, Etoricoxilo, Cetrizine, Clonazipam, Cefotaxime, and Ipratropium, said Ravi Kumudesh, President of the Association of Health Professionals.
“The Auditor General’s report has highlighted several grave issues, including +the importation of medicines without the requisite registration certificates, sourcing medicines from alternative companies rather than the initially indicated manufacturers by the drug suppliers, presenting forged letters and inconsistent documentation and samples, altering labels on blood samples and medicinal bottles, acquiring medicines nearing their expiry dates, and the importation of substandard medicines into Sri Lanka,” Kumudesh said in his statement.
He further highlighted that, despite many information on corruption in the healthcare sector being unveiled, no one has faced any consequences to date, emphasising that it falls upon senior government officials and the President to ensure that those implicated in corrupt practices are not reinstated.
He further stressed the urgency of acting on these reports of corruption and not merely relegating them to inconsequential paperwork, while also hastening the penal process for the culprits.
