• Health Min. also cites lack of operational coordination between MSD, SPC, NMRA, etc.
• Claims issue to be with suppliers and not with laws; no amendments to NMRA Act

Amid growing concerns regarding issues in the drug procurement process and shortages, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa alleged that the lack of capacity of certain suppliers has been a significant contributor to the crisis in the pharmaceutical sector.  

Responding to a query by The Daily Morning yesterday (31 December 2024), Dr. Jayatissa noted that practices associated with certain suppliers had caused delays in receiving specific drugs in the recent past. When questioned as to whether the Government was planning to amend the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Act or to make changes to procurement-related procedures, he responded: “The issue is not with the laws. We have only a limited number of suppliers. Sometimes, their lack of capacity affects the entire process, particularly the delays.”  

Meanwhile, speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, he also highlighted a lack of operational coordination between the relevant public institutions, which he said had significantly impacted drug procurement and data collection efforts.

“The Medical Supplies Division (MSD) had not collected the required data in advance. Even if they lacked the data, they could have procured drugs based on estimates. Additionally, there were issues in procuring drugs from domestic suppliers and selecting appropriate suppliers. Delays were reported even in joint ventures between the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) and suppliers. A delay was also observed from the NMRA’s end,” he stated. 

Hence, Dr. Jayatissa emphasised the need for the MSD, the SPC, and the NMRA to work collaboratively to prevent such delays and shortcomings in the future. He further assured that the Government has managed to address the essential drug shortages to a certain extent.  

Speaking to the media last week, he stated that the Government should adopt a scientific solution to reduce foreign exchange-based losses caused by the import of unnecessary drugs.

However, when contacted for a comment, the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) Manager (Administration) Maureen Peiris stated that the SLCPI President is currently overseas and hence advised contacting at a later date.