Ministry to come down hard on drug thieves

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Health Ministry will take stern action against all State sector health staff who are found selling drugs in Government hospitals to private sector pharmacies, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman Minister Maithripala Sirisena is now considering the possibility of amending the law (if it is inadequate) to give maximum punishment to the State sector health workers who sell drugs to the private sector pharmacies.

The issue came up after a special team of the National Drug Authority raided a private pharmacy located close to Fort Railway Station and discovered a stock of State owned drugs worth Rs 500,000 on Friday evening. The matter has already been handed over to the CID by the Minister.

The raid took place following a tip off received from the public. The stock of drugs carried the State emblem and there were 52 varieties of drugs.

A stock of TNT tablets worth Rs 50,000, which is used for heart patients during emergencies (heart attacks) were also among the drugs found during the raid.

Investigations are continuing to arrest the person who sold the stock of drugs to the private pharmacy after obtaining it either from a State hospital or the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, he said.