Senior Consultant Physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama has been appointed as the new Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.
Minister of Health Ramesh Pathirana appointed Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama to the post.
He has replaced Professor S.D. Jayaratne as the NMRA Chair following several allegations over the importation of substandard medicines.
However, the new appointment has been met with stiff opposition as Dr. Wijewickrama was a Director Board member of the NMRA at the time when a database of the institution was found to have been erased.
Speaking at a media briefing recently, Health Professionals Association President Ravi Kumudesh stated that the biggest reason behind the irregularities that occurred at the NMRA, was the erasing of the database.
