Corrupt officials gain profits under the table - Health Minister

Atapattu BANDARA

The Health Ministry is dealing with nearly 40 tenders valued at over Rs.20 billion daily. The situation has given many opportunities to misuse the system and gain profits under the table, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

Some tender board members who worked earlier in the Health Ministry and State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) have opened their own companies after their retirement which proves that how they have dealt with pharmaceutical companies during their tenures, he said.

"I have sent many of these culprits back to their homes", the Minister said. He was addressing an experts committee meeting organized by government Registered Doctors' Association at Seasons hotel, Kurunegala to discuss the proposed National Drugs Policy (NDP).

Colombo University Medical Faculty senior lecturer Dr. Priyadarshani Galappaththi conducted a special lecture on the national drug policy due to be implemented from next year.

The minister said the highly spoken topic over the last 50 years was the national drug policy.

The concept of the NDP was mooted five years ago though discussions, seminars were held for over 50 years, he said.

"The National Drug Policy will come into effect from next year. Many segments of the society will criticize the policy in different perspectives.

"I being the health minister will initiate it not expecting garlands," the Minister said. Many officials have a keen interest on local purchasing against the purchases through tenders to gain lucrative profits. For the purchases for 2011, tenders should be called in 2010.

Unless a tender is not called in the previous year, the purchases will be done through urgent purchasing which is 10-15 fold expensive than the tender purchasing, the minister said.

"I will never forgive these officials and will take stern action against them despite their positions.

hey endanger the millions of innocent lives expecting their own benefits," the minister said.