Rajitha sacks NMDRA Chairman and Deputy

1 February 2016 09:28 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 6 Bookmark

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Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has directed the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the National Medicinal Drugs Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) to resign from their posts with effect from today, ministry sources said.

NMDRA Chairman Prof. Lal Jayakody and Deputy Chairman Prof. Krishantha Weerasooriya were appointed by the minister himself in the run-up to the parliamentary elections last year.

While these sources did not want to speculate on the reason for the minister’s sudden decision, they said t the minister had come under intense pressure from various parties.

However, NMDRA officials were said to be up in arms when they heard about who were going to asked appointed to replace the two Professors.

The new appointees, Dr.Athula Kahandaliyanage and Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe were reported to have worked for private companies and as such the NMDRA officials feared a conflict of interest.

The minister is reported to have claimed that he had directed the two professors to resign on the basis of shortcomings at the NMDRA.

However, the sources said the NMDRAhad not been provided with adequate funds and facilities to carry out their duties despite several requests made to the minister.

Against this background several NMDRA officials had vowed to resign from their posts to show their disappointment and displeasure at the minister’s decision.(Piyumi Fonseka)

Comments - 6

Nuwan Monday, 01 February 2016 10:28 AM

By the way, what happened to the promised national policy on drugs?

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PaLITA Monday, 01 February 2016 11:23 AM

The drug companies are too powerful. They will make sure that the NMDRA is a toothless tiger.

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Anil Monday, 01 February 2016 11:48 AM

May be this is a precursor for supplying low quality products at exorbitant prices. People can still remember the previous episode that was proved in a court of law.

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Ruxaan Monday, 01 February 2016 11:51 AM

Very true!

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Nihal Amarasekera Tuesday, 02 February 2016 10:35 AM

Another "By the way"; how about the drug prices comming down with the new "settings" promised.

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Nethra Tuesday, 02 February 2016 10:53 AM

It is high time even generic we must allow top companies to supply,meantime must punish and cancel the local agents authority,who practice wrong doings in International tenders by bribing and encouraging to do so the poor staffs of state sector . Even Prof. Bibile never went to cheapest source to import and he had a price structure,and very careful about the manufacturers capability.This must be printed in the Tender forms strictly as policy. The registration process should be improved and quick,rather than taking more than three years for somesuppliers and few get then with a short period.

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