No substandard medicines in state hospital system now – Minister
Health and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana assured that no substandard medicines are present within the state hospital system. He stated that the government does not allow the import of substandard drugs and that patients can use the medicines provided by state hospitals without any fear.
Speaking at a special media briefing held at the Ministry of Health’s auditorium yesterday (30), the minister emphasized that there are no emergency purchases of medicines by the Ministry of Health, and no substandard drugs are obtained through the procurement process. He clarified that drugs not registered in Sri Lanka are not imported, and the recent discussion has arisen due to two main reasons.
One reason is the agreement between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments, where under a scheme called the “Janaushadhi Drug Programme,” high-quality medicines are provided to the Indian public and neighbouring countries through state-owned enterprises of India. Following a request from the Indian government to join this scheme, a cabinet paper was submitted to allow the import of these medicines at a fair price after registration in Sri Lanka.
The minister further explained that while the cabinet paper has been approved, no memorandum of understanding has been signed yet. If medicines are imported under this agreement, they will only be allowed after registration with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). He also highlighted the shortage of 37 medicines in the country over the past year, with 21 of these having registered manufacturers who, at times, do not participate in the supply process or offer extremely high prices. Sixteen other medicines remain unregistered in Sri Lanka.
To address the shortage, the Secretary of Health has been empowered to adopt a more stable and regulated direct procurement process, which requires another cabinet paper. This cabinet paper has yet to be submitted or approved, despite some media reports suggesting otherwise. The proposed method allows for the purchase of medicines directly from the original manufacturer worldwide, particularly when registered suppliers are unavailable or charge exorbitant prices.The minister clarified that if medicines are imported under this process, it will be done transparently, ensuring the quality of the medicines without any emergency or unregistered procurement.
He assured that any such imports would be fast-tracked for registration if already recognized in reputable countries and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Minister Pathirana emphasized that, under his leadership and that of his officials, there is no intention of engaging in illegal, irregular, or unorthodox activities.
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