Inferior quality medicines claim another life: Sajith

• Says the drug is said to have failed the quality test

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

Another death has occurred due to inferior quality medicines despite the Health Minister reiterating that no inferior quality medicine is used in the country, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday. 

 
He told Parliament that a woman from Galle has died after being administered Propofol, which is said to have failed the quality test.    He said Propofol is among the three drugs which had failed sample quality tests.   

The Opposition Leader said that when he had raised the issue in Parliament, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had claimed there are no inferior quality medicines being used.   

“We neither have a place to lodge a complaint regarding incidents of substandard medicine nor a unit to look into such incidents. We must have a proper mechanism in that regard. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is a den of thieves. Its Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer should take the responsibility,” he said.   

 We must have a proper mechanism in that regard. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is a den of thieves. Its Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer should take the responsibility