Human immunoglobulin scandal: former Deputy Director remanded
Former Deputy Director of Health Services Dr. Herath Kumara attached to the Medical Supplies Division at the Health Ministry, was arrested yesterday (5) in connection over the importation of substandard stocks of Immunoglobulin vaccines scandal. He was remanded until January 10.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Herath Kumara at the Health Ministry premises yesterday afternoon and he was later produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court in the evening and remanded.
Kumara is the latest state official to be arrested in connection to the importation of substandard stocks of Immunoglobulin vials through which a financial fraud of Rs.130 million is reported to have taken place.
A probe was initially launched in 2023, into the allegations that a pharmaceutical company had imported 22,500 vials of substandard Immunoglobulin vaccines by generating forged documents with the assistance of the two senior state officials.
Investigations conducted by the CID revealed that Sudath Janaka Fernando alias ‘Aruna Deepthi’ who owns the pharmaceutical company had imported the stock of substandard medicines.
CID probes found that Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Dr. Vijith Gunasekera and the Director of Supply at the Ministry of Health Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake have assisted the importation of these substandard medicines by providing forged ministry documents.
The three suspects were arrested and later remanded and subsequently former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta was also arrested over the same incident.
The CID also recorded a statement from the former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in December 2023, after he had volunteered to provide a statement on the importation of the substandard Immunoglobulin vaccines which had taken place during his tenure as the Health Minister.
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