Even during the absence of the Indian credit support, 80 percent of the drugs imported into the country were imported from India, officials of the Health Ministry said at the Ministerial Advisory Committee meeting on Health Affairs.
Officials of the Health Ministry stated this when the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Health Affairs met in Parliament recently (19) under the chairmanship of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
When Member of Parliament Sanjeeva Edirimanna inquired about this, the officials replied in this regard and they pointed out that they are using the medicine brought under Indian loan assistance recently. Further commenting on this, the officials pointed out that if the necessary departments to import medicines did not carry out their duty, people would die due to lack of medicines.
Minister Rambukwella pointed out that at the time of the incident in the Peradeniya Hospital, 12 patients in the same ward had been given this medicine. And 167,000 people have used this medicine this year. Also, 230,000 hospitals have been given this medicine. The Minister also pointed out that this medicine is one which was registered on October 21, 2013.
Minister Rambukwella further stated that he rejects the term ‘inferior drugs’ as there is no definition of ‘inferior drugs’.
MP Professor Tissa Vitharana asked whether Professor Senaka Bibile’s health policy is currently being implemented and Minister Rambukwella said that the policy is still being followed. Prof. Vitharana pointed out that this policy has provided for one-time tendering of medicines required for a whole year with the name of the medicine. Apart from this, problems related to hospitals at the district level, vacancies related to officials, lack of medicines and equipment were also discussed at length.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, State Ministers Sisira Jayakody, Diana Gamage, Siripala Gamlath as well as Members of Parliament Samanpriya Herath, Tissa Kuttiarachi, Sahan Pradeep Withana, Dr. Gayashan Nawananda, M.H.A. Haleem and Sampath Athukorala together with officials participated in this committee meeting.
