• We have informed the incumbent Health Minister regarding the current situation but there has been no response from him  
• There is a tendency to award tenders to purchase medicines at higher price margins while cancelling the previous tenders  

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   

Fraud and corruption activities persisted at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka (SPC) during the tenure of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, claims the Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF).   
They further claim that these issues are ongoing, even following the appointment of a new Minister to the Health Ministry.   

According to GMOF president Dr. Rukshan Bellana, tenders initiated during the former chairmanship of Sarath Liyanage at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) were cancelled. 

 However, he alleges that the same tenders are being reintroduced under the new SPC chairmanship, with the values inflated to ten times their previous amounts.   

“Despite the new Minister being aware of these revised tender procedures, he maintains a silent approach. Consequently, the GMOF is compelled to take decisive action to draw attention to this situation and address the matter with the Minister,” the GMOF president said.   

Accordingly, the GMOF is to inform the President regarding this within the next week.  Dr. Bellana claimed that the country is currently experiencing an acute shortage of essential medicinal items. At least 300 emergency medical items, such as those for cancer and heart surgery patients are on the shortage list.   
“We took action to remove the previous SPC chairman to bring a new person to the seat, not to fall out of the frying pan into the fire, and it is doubtful that the SPC is getting the support of the new Health minister,” he said.   
It was reported that several efficient officers attached to the SPC had quit. There is a tendency to award tenders to buy medicines at higher price margins while cancelling the previous tenders.   

Due to the shortage of essential cancer drugs and the higher prices in the local market, the GMOF president claimed that a large number of patients had died and some others are in fear of death.   
The SPC officials who engaged in fraud and corruption activities during the previous chairmanship have not stopped their practices, and they continue the same procedures in a new phase.   

“We informed the current situation to the incumbent Health Minister, but there has been no response even from him, and he is also acting the same as the former Health Minister. Therefore, we decided to report this situation to the President with the health professional team by next week,” Dr. Bellana said.