German lab finds immunoglobulin drug contains harmful bacteria - AG

By Bhagya Silva  

The Attorney General informed the Maligakanda Magistrate yesterday that laboratory tests conducted at a German chemical laboratory revealed the immunoglobulin drug contained only saline and lethal harmful bacteria, with no medicinal substances. 

This statement was made during the hearing of the case against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and nine other suspects. 

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagamage appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, also informed the Magistrate that approximately 200 samples had been sent to the aforementioned laboratory, which had issued reports confirming these findings.  

The DSG further informed the court that investigations related to the supply of this substandard and unauthorized vaccine have now been completed. It was also brought to the court’s attention that indictments would be filed before the High Court against the suspects either today or by next Monday.  

The Deputy Solicitor General revealed that the former Health Minister, who is one of the accused, had eight telephone conversations during the relevant period with Sugath Janaka Fernando, the owner of Ayushulem Biotech Pharma, the company that supplied the controversial pediatric drug. It was also revealed that the former Minister had 31 telephone interactions with the then Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health, another suspect in the case.  Further investigations were conducted to determine whether the former Minister had communicated with other pharmaceutical suppliers, but no such links were discovered, she added.