Complaints against drug companies:

Indian govt calls for Health Ministry report

The Indian Government has called for a report from the Health Ministry regarding Indian drug firms which had flouted tender agreements and failed to supply drugs to Sri Lanka on time.

This follows discussions Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena had with Indian High Commissioner Ashok K Kantha when he called on the Minister at his official residence Sunday, said a press release issued by the Health Ministry yesterday. The release said the discussions centred round the shortage of certain drugs experienced at hospitals in recent times.

The Minister pointed out that this shortage was mainly due to the failure of certain Indian firms which have been granted tenders to make supplies on a scattered basis and supplying inferior drugs at times.

The Minister said one firm had failed to supply vital drugs needed by cancer patients even after the lapse of a year since the grant of the tender.

The Indian High Commissioner who requested an urgent report about the defaulting firms said he would request the Indian government to take legal action against the defaulting firms. He said the Indian government would act on the diplomatic level regarding the drug supplies to Sri Lanka to prevent any shortage in hospitals in future.

The Health Minister pointed out that even though the opposition would make use of the drug shortage to inconvenience the government, he was more concerned about the innocent patients suffering due to a shortage of drugs in hospitals.