TISL files FR against procurement of medical supplies from unregistered private suppliers

The Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court challenging the moves by the Ministry of Health to procure medical supplies from unregistered private suppliers through direct contracting and unsolicited bids.

The TISL and its Executive Director Ashala Nadishani Perera filed this petition seeking an order preventing the Cabinet of Ministers and other officials from making any payments to Savorite Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited and Kausikh Therapeutics (P) Limited in respect to the purported procurement of any medicinal supplies.

The petitioners stated that the Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to utilize the Indian Credit Line and other unspecified means of funding to maintain an uninterrupted supply of medicine, with the purported view to prevent acute shortages in medical supplies in government health institutions in Sri Lanka.

The petitioners further said that the Minister of Health has on two occasions proposed the names of Savorite Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited and Kausikh Therapeutics LTD as identified supplier from whom the procurement and importation of medical supplies would be made to Sri Lanka, in respect of certain medicines.

The names of the said Private Entities have been proposed to the Cabinet of Ministers by the Minister of Health for the relevant procurements, despite the said Private Entities not having the requisite registrations by the NMRA, and in the complete absence of a competitive procurement process.

This petition had been filed through Attorney-at-law Thushari Jayawardena. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)