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Keheliya goes to India to buy medicine from unregistered company

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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)

Entertainment

Court order issued against ‘Eh Yaye’ song

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The Commercial High Court has issued an interim injunction order, preventing popular artistes Romaine Willis and Mass Ramli Miskin (DJ Mass) from performing, reproducing and distributing the song ‘Eh Yaye’.

Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Priyantha Fernando issued the order after the Plaint filed under the Intellectual Property Act by popular singer Corrine Almeida.

The case also alleges that the musical composition and the lyrics of the song ‘Eh Yaye’ were substantially similar to the song ‘Api Natamu’.

Naming Willis and DJ Mass as defendants,  the plaintiff Corrine Almeida had also stated that she is the owner of the copyright and economic rights to the musical composition and lyrics of her song titled “Api Natamu”.

The plaintiff instituted action in terms of the Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003 alleging that the musical composition and the lyrics of ‘Eh Yaye’ were substantially similar to the ‘Api Natamu’ song.

(Source : Dailymirror.lk)

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Rains expected in several areas today

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Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in the Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts today (July 02), the Department of Meteorology said.

A few showers may occur in the Jaffna and Mannar districts.

Fairly strong winds of about 30-40kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

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IMF Executive Board approves Sri Lanka’s 4th review

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The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the Fourth review under the 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangement, allowing the authorities to draw about US$350 million, said Evan Papageorgiou, IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka.

This brings the total IMF financial support disbursed so far to about US$1.74 billion.

“The EFF arrangement for Sri Lanka was approved by the Executive Board on March 20, 2023 in an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion). The program supports Sri Lanka’s efforts to durably restore macroeconomic stability by (i) restoring fiscal and debt sustainability while protecting the vulnerable, (ii) safeguarding price and financial sector stability, (iii) rebuilding external buffers, (iv) strengthening governance and reducing corruption vulnerabilities, and (v) enhancing growth-oriented structural reforms.”

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