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Keheliya goes to India to buy medicine from unregistered company

Published

1 year ago

December 22, 2022

editor

The Health Ministry has obtained the Cabinet approval to import 28 medicines, which are not registered at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), from an Indian company outside the procurement process.

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the Chief Executive Officer of the NMRA have left for India yesterday (21) for the preliminary work of importing medicines from this company.

Internal sources at the ministry said the entire cost of the visit has been borne by the Indian company.

It is also revealed that an amount of USD 46 million received under the Indian credit facility is to be used to purchase these medicinal drugs.

The health sector is faced with a serious crisis due to the shortage of essential medicines.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Rambukwella has stated in a report presented to the Cabinet on October 25 that there are insufficient stocks of 151 types of essential medicines, 5,268 items including surgical equipment, 850 chemicals and 18 radioactive materials.

Therefore, the Cabinet has been informed that a private company in India has agreed to supply the necessary medicines for three months.

The drugs produced by the company in question are not registered with the NMRA, and the manner in which the company was selected is also not mentioned in the Cabinet paper.

Permission has been sought to purchase medicines from several other companies as well.

Although the Health Minister has informed the Cabinet that the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka has given approval to these medicines, the medicines used in Sri Lanka are approved by the NMRA.

Since the proposed supplier has been selected on the basis of urgency, the Finance Ministry has informed that the price and the quality of medicines should be discussed.

After receiving approval for that Cabinet paper, the Health Minister had again presented a Cabinet paper on December 5 to buy medicines from another company.

The Cabinet paper has been submitted for the import of pharmaceuticals from a private company located in Chennai, India. Accordingly, 28 types of medicines are to be imported. This company’s drugs are not approved by the NMRA.

Meanwhile, an Indian Credit Facility Coordinating Unit has been established at the Finance Ministry to import medicines using the credit facility. It has also been backed by the Indian High Commission.

The Health Ministry has informed the Cabinet that more than 1,000 files have been submitted for obtaining medicines, and it has taken a long time to get the approval.

(Aruna)

News

Resumption of Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai ‍ferry service delayed indefinitely

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

The resumption of the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and the Kankesanthurai region near Jaffna in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka has been delayed again for an indefinite period, Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has said.

The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai (KKS) suburb of Jaffna district, which was to resume on May 13, was delayed due to a “technical shortcoming”, de Silva said on Wednesday.

The nature of the “technical shortcoming” was not revealed by the minister.

The service, launched in October last year after nearly 40 years, was halted a few days later owing to rough weather.

Since then, the resumption of the service, which is a vital component of India-Sri Lanka maritime cooperation, has been delayed three times.

India has also extended a grant assistance of USD 63.65 million — the entire project cost — to Sri Lanka to rehabilitate the Kankesanthurai Port in the Northern Province.

Situated in the northern region of Sri Lanka, the Kankesanthurai Port or the KKS Port, with an area of approximately 16 acres, is located at a distance of 104 kilometres (56 nautical miles) from Karaikal Port in Pondicherry.

The direct passenger ship service connecting Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to Kankesanthurai port near Jaffna covers a distance of 111 kilometres (60 nautical miles) in approximately three and a half hours.

The ferry service will be operated by a private operator, IndSri Ferry Services, selected by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL).

Source: PTI

News

State Minister admits to assaulting airport porter

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

State Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development – Prasanna Ranaweera has admitted to assaulting a porter at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, ‘Lankadeepa’ reports.

The State Minister had gone to the airport with his security personnel to see off his wife, who had gone overseas.

According to reports, the State Minister had also reprimanded security personnel who had opposed to the state minister’s security entering the airport premises with firearms.

Footage then showed him also assaulting the porter who had transported the bags of the State Minister’s wife. It is reported that the State Minister had given the porter only Rs. 700 when public notices at the premises clearly state a porter is to be paid Rs. 1000.

The victim had gone to the police to lodge a complaint in this regard but had been told to come on the next day as the OIC was not present.

However it is said that he had not returned to the police station.

(Source : Lankadeepa)

News

Kandy inundated after heavy rains

Published

3 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Several locations in Kandy city including the Kandy railway station have been inundated with water due to heavy rains.
Kandy faced over 100mm of rain after 2.00pm today, with low lying areas of the city being swiftly inundated.

Irresponsible garbage disposal and illegal constructions are said to be major contributing factors.