Sinister motive to destroy free health service for political reasons – Minister

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Parliament yesterday (18) that there is a suspicion whether there is a planned attack on the free health service by socialising an ideology that inferior medicines have been brought into the country.

The Minister said that despite trying to spread an ideology that inferior medicine had been brought to the country based on the incident of the girl who died at the Peradeniya Hospital, the medicine given to that girl was first brought to the country on October 21, 2013.

The minister also said that this medicine has been imported continuously for more than twenty years since then and the related medicine is brought to Sri Lanka by Baur and Company. The minister said that by the time the girl who died at the Peradeniya hospital was given this medicine, 12 patients had been given the same and by now four more patients have been given the same medicine. The minister also said that 145,990 of these medicines have been distributed to hospitals and 79,260 of them have been used so far. The minister said that 66,760 vaccines of this medicine are currently remaining in hospitals. The minister said that this drug is being used in hospitals even now and despite this, on what basis are accusations being made regarding the death of the girl at Peradeniya. However, the minister said that a committee consisting of experts was appointed to investigate this matter and the report of the investigation committee will be submitted to the parliament.

The minister mentioned that representatives of several trade unions have accused that inferior drugs have been brought into the country and this is a conspiratory attack on the free health service.

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella made these comments in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa regarding the situation in the health sector.

It is my duty to explain the situation in the country. The truth and falsity of facts presented should be revealed. All these incidents mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition are being investigated. Look carefully at these facts. It is said that one type was given to Kandy and another type to Colombo. These allegations are also being made by another trade union. Also, 19,200 doses of this vaccine have been given to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. 16,800 of them have been used. Also, 24,000 have been given to Peradeniya. 12,800 have been used. There is still half left. 2,800 have also been given to Avissawella. 800 were also given to the Homagama Hospital.

Those remain and have not been used. 50 vaccines were given to the Moratuwa Hospital and all of them have been used.