August 31, Colombo (LNW): Health and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana has assured the public that no substandard medicines are present within the state hospital system. Speaking at a media briefing at the Ministry of Health’s auditorium yesterday (30), he emphasized that the government does not permit the import of substandard drugs and that patients can use the medicines provided by state hospitals without fear.
The minister clarified that there are no emergency purchases of medicines by the Ministry of Health and no substandard drugs are acquired through the procurement process. He stated that only drugs registered in Sri Lanka are imported, addressing recent concerns that have emerged due to two primary reasons.
One reason is an agreement between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments, under which high-quality medicines are provided to the Indian public and neighboring countries through state-owned enterprises of India under the “Janaushadhi Drug Programme.” The Sri Lankan government, at the request of India, submitted a cabinet paper to allow the import of these medicines at a fair price, provided they are registered in Sri Lanka. Although this cabinet paper has been approved, no memorandum of understanding has yet been signed.
Minister Pathirana also highlighted that any medicines imported under this agreement would only be permitted after registration with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). He further noted a shortage of 37 essential medicines over the past year, with 21 of these having registered manufacturers who, at times, either do not participate in the supply process or demand extremely high prices. Sixteen other medicines remain unregistered in Sri Lanka.
To address the shortage, the Secretary of Health has been authorized to adopt a more regulated direct procurement process, which will require another cabinet paper. Despite some media reports suggesting otherwise, this cabinet paper has yet to be submitted or approved. The proposed process would allow for the direct purchase of medicines from the original manufacturers worldwide, particularly when registered suppliers are unavailable or charge exorbitant prices.
Minister Pathirana assured that any such imports would be fast-tracked for registration if they are already recognized in reputable countries and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). He emphasized that under his leadership, there is no intention of engaging in illegal, irregular, or unorthodox activities.
