• Govt. to take legal action against supplier if inquiry finds fault in quality

 Weeks after the controversial anaesthetic drug propofol was withdrawn from use following several incidents, including the suspected death of a pregnant mother, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has airlifted a new stock of the medicine from a different supplier sourced from a different manufacturing line, The Sunday Morning learns.  

According to the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) circular MSD/Q/P/2023/41, the product ‘Propofol Inj IV 20 ml Vial (SR 01500301)’ manufactured by Nandani Medical Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd. of India has been withheld.

According to the Ministry of Health, a new stock of anaesthetic drugs, acquired via a different supplier to that of the propofol stock in question and sourced from a different production line, was airlifted to Colombo on Friday (21) and is being distributed to the relevant hospitals.

When contacted, Health Minister Keheliya Rambuwella told The Sunday Morning: “We moved to acquire a new stock from a different supplier and from a new production line, which was airlifted to Sri Lanka, arriving on Friday.”

“The drug is being distributed to all relevant hospitals and there is no shortage of anaesthetic drugs at present,” Rambukwella stressed.

The Health Minister would not comment on the cost of the new stock of medicinal drugs.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Ministry of Health Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha said that the entire batch of anaesthetic drugs in question had been removed from use and that the ministry would await the findings of the committee appointed to inquire into the incidents in order to take a decision on the release the same drug for use.

“If the inquiry finds something wrong, we will have to get anaesthetic drugs from another source. This is because we may have to initiate legal action against the supplier, if they are found to be at fault. There is a procedure to follow regarding that and we will initiate it, if deemed necessary by the report,” Chandraguptha stressed.

According to him, the Government has some contingency plans in place to fill gaps in supply created by the withdrawal of the entire stock.  

“We normally seek to negotiate and purchase a new stock from a different supplier as a contingency. It is the task of the MSD to do so,” Chandraguptha explained.  

However, when asked how much the withdrawal of the drugs had cost the State and how much would be spent on importing new stocks, Chandraguptha would not offer details, except to say that the ministry would discuss with the Treasury to source the required amount.

The Minister of Health and senior officials involved in quality control and procurement at the ministry are under scrutiny following several issues with medicinal drugs imported under a line of credit from India, with the Opposition collecting signatures calling for a no-confidence motion against Rambukwella in Parliament this week.