Cabinet Spokesman – Minister of Health and Mass Media – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa today (Jan. 21) stated that several politicians are linked to the company which had supplied the ‘Papaverine’ injection.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet briefing held today (Jan. 21), he said that government has spent Rs. 342.49 million to import the drug from 2019 to 2023.
“There was no pricing formula earlier and the government had purchased the medicines at the price determined by the companies,” he added.
He also said that an investigation will be initiated to find out how approval was given to this company to purchase the drug at such higher prices.
Dr. Jayatissa further said that he also will make a special statement in this regard at Parliament tomorrow (Jan. 22), as the Health Minister.
Earlier, it was reported that the vaccine, which was once sold for Rs.76,000 now being reduced to Rs. 370.
The Attorney General has filed a case against one Vithanage Don Dayananda, a former Assistant General Manager (AGM) at People’s Bank head office, for allegedly preparing and using a forged document related to a Rs.2,000 million personal guarantee bond.
Colombo High Court Judge Lanka Jayaratne has fixed the case (HC 39/2019) for trial on October 30. When the case was called on July 01, the accused had appeared in court.
It is alleged that around June 01, 2006, in Colombo, the accused knowingly prepared a forged document purporting to show that a personal guarantee bond, allegedly signed and dated July 27, 1995, by directors of Yashoda Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.had been submitted to the bank’s head office.
Despite being well aware that the document was a forged one, he had allegedly presented it as genuine evidence during the Commercial High Court Case No. 122/2004.
Therefore, the Attorney General has charged him under Section 459 of the Penal Code.
The Ministry of Education has announced that online appeals for the second round of Grade 06 admissions in 2025, based on the 2024 Grade 05 Scholarship Examination results, can be submitted from today (July 03) until July 17.
Parents or guardians can submit appeals for up to three schools by visiting the official website of the Ministry of Education at www.moe.gov.lk or directly via the extension at g6application.moe.gov.lk.
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts today (July 03), the Department of Meteorology said.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.
Meanwhile, fairly strong winds of about 30-40 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.