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.