• Deputy Min. claims concerted social media campaigns targeting officials involved in drug price reductions, to apprise P’ment of issue
• Says certain NMRA/SPC/SPMC officers under probe for irregularities/corruption

The Ministry of Health has accused certain pharmaceutical companies of launching personal smear campaigns against government officials involved in key decision-making processes including those relating to pharmaceutical drug price reductions in the recent past.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni claimed that around five companies are behind coordinated efforts to discredit officials of institutions such as the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), and the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC), mainly through social media attacks. 

“Officials in these institutions have supported our efforts and delivered on the targets set for them. They are carrying out decisions based on our directives, including reducing the prices of certain drugs. Certain companies are unhappy with these decisions. They are targeting officials with personal attacks on social media. If this continues, we won't have officials to work with. I intend to make a statement in the Parliament regarding this issue,” he said.

Commenting on the frequent allegations of irregularities and corruption within institutions such as the NMRA, the SPC, and the SPMC, Dr. Wijemuni said that in the past two or three months, more than 10 officers of the said institutions had been suspended. 

“Investigations are ongoing into several other officers as well. We don’t interfere in those decisions. If there is an allegation against an official, an internal process is followed. If needed, they are being suspended,” he said.

Issues pertaining to various institutions in the health sector have come to light recently, including during Parliamentary committee hearings. These issues involve various financial irregularities in procurement related processes, the procurement of drugs without following the proper tender procedures, and the importation of substandard drugs. In one case involving the importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vials, several Health sector officials, including former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, were even taken into remand custody.