As the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) continues to carry out investigations into the controversial substandard intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) import case, necessary action will be taken against anyone including the former Health Minister (a reference to incumbent Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella) who are found to have an involvement in the matter, stated the Police.
Several individuals including the former Secretary to the Ministry of Health Janaka Sri Chandraguptha are currently in remand custody over the incident of a batch of IVIG having been supplied to the country's health sector using forged documents. With those arrests being made over the incident, several parties have called for action against Rambukwella who was the Health Minister at the time of the relevant incident.
The Daily Morning queried Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police and attorney-at-law Nihal Thalduwa as to whether the Police had received any complaint related to Rambukwella, to which he said: “There is no particular complaint about the Minister, but the complaint is about this overall issue. The revelations regarding anyone, including the Minister, if any, will be made only when the investigation goes on. If such a revelation is made, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) will definitely take appropriate action against them.”
The batch of IVIG in question had been suspended from use following the revelation that the local supplier named Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Private) Limited had imported it by submitting forged documents for Customs clearing. It was also reported that the said local agent had imported a batch of the Rituximab injection which is administered to cancer patients, using a similar forged document. The local agent had made the IVIG import, presenting a forged waiver of registration, in the pretext of the same having been issued by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.
Among the Government officials who were arrested by the CID regarding the incident and were subsequently placed in remand custody are Chandraguptha, the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Director Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, the Assistant MSD Director Shanthi Solomon, MSD's Accountant (Supplies) Niran Dhananjaya, and MSD’s Pharmacist Sujith Kumara.