Minister Keheliya under fire over visit to India officials demand immediate explanation

• if low-quality medicines enter the market, people will lose trust in the entire health sector
• Health officials have raised concerns over the Minister’s sudden visit to India

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has come under fire over his current visit to India, with health officials questioning whether the Minister is overseas to purchase alleged low-quality medicines through a private Indian company.

The Daily Mirror learns that Rambukwella left for India on December 21 and is expected back over the weekend. However, Health officials have raised concerns over the Minister’s sudden visit to India after rumours surfaced that he was there to purchase medicines from a private Indian company.

Health officials told Daily Mirror that upon the Minister’s return they will raise this matter with him, and if true, will ask for an explanation as to how this particular Indian company was selected to purchase the drugs. “The Minister has to release an immediate statement even while he is in India or upon his return as to why he is there and what his dealing is with the said private company, if it is true,” senior officials said.

“With such a shortage in medicines, if the Minister is in India to purchase low-quality medicines, then it will be a huge issue for the local health system. We have raised this issue of low-quality local medicine manufacturing companies with the Minister in the past, but he ignored this matter. Now if the Minister is in India to deal with a private company that deals with low-quality medicines, then we will stop that,” senior officials added.

“If low-quality medicines enter the market, people will lose trust in the entire health sector,” officials added.
Questions are also being raised as to who has funded the Minister’s sudden visit to India, with some reports stating that it was the said private Indian company paying for the Minister’s tour.