No definition for inferior quality medicine: Keheliya

24 July 2023 09:12 pm - 8 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The allegations of inferior quality medicines being used cannot be accepted as there is no official definition to rate any medicine as of inferior quality, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said.

The Minister made this remark at the meeting of the Consultative Committee on Health held at the Parliamentary complex.

The Minister also revealed that the drug which caused the death of a young woman at the Peradeniya Hospital has been used on 12 other patients in the same ward.

“Some 167,000 vials of the particular medicine have been used by various hospitals within this year. This medicine was registered in Sri Lanka in October 2013,” he said.

He added that there is no definition under which a medicine can be rated as of inferior quality.

The officials of the Health Ministry who attended the meeting said patients would have died as a result of a medicine shortage if purchases were not made. Also they said 80 percent of the drugs are imported to Sri Lanka from India even after the time of the credit lines have lapsed.

Responding to a query by MP Tissa Vitharana as to whether Sri Lanka follows the pharmaceutical policy of Professor Senaka Bibile, Minister Rambukwella said the government follows that policy. MP Vitharana then noted that the government should call for tenders to purchase medicines which the country needs annually straight away rather than calling for tenders several times during the year.

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, State Ministers Dayana Gamage, Sisira Jayakody, Siripala Gamlath, MPs Samanpriya Herath, Tissa Kuttiarachchi, Sahan Pradeep Withana, Dr. Gayashan Nawananda, M.H.A. Haleem and Samapth Athukorala also attended the meeting. (Yohan Perera)

Comments - 8

Lumbini Monday, 24 July 2023 09:32 PM

Quality assured when buying from only trusted registered sources.

joshua Monday, 24 July 2023 09:49 PM

The definition is - It is headed by the worst Minister of Health

ACA Monday, 24 July 2023 10:05 PM

These are the dum case we have as ministers in this country. First rob then twist words and bring death to innocent patients.

chris Monday, 24 July 2023 10:06 PM

Stop acting like it's not my fault. when you are right on top, the buçk stops with you. Make a voluntary resignation and allow a proper investigation to make its findings. thos country is sick of the ols game where lack of accountability is blatant.

rojer Tuesday, 25 July 2023 02:11 PM

Very simple, inject it to Keheliya If he dies --> its inferior medice

Buddhist Tuesday, 25 July 2023 04:23 PM

Please lock this guy up and throw away the keys.

Roger Halliday Wednesday, 26 July 2023 06:20 AM

Here is another joker big talker and a guy who even could not jump over the wall in australia

SwissPharmaExpert in SL Wednesday, 26 July 2023 05:57 PM

We will all have our opinion on the events, but first let we deal with cold, hard facts. The Minister is simply, completely and utterly wrong in saying that there is no definition of the Quality of a product. Pharmaceutical product quality is defined by compliance with the 44 page “Guideline on Good Manufacturing Practices” issued by the Sri Lankan National Medicine Regulatory Authority (in-line with WHO guidelines). Therefore, in saying what he said, the Minister is either totally ignorant of the requirements for pharmaceutical products or he was lying. Now we can express our opinions on which is worse for the wellbeing of the Sri Lankan population.

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No definition for inferior quality medicine: Keheliya

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