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Ex-pharma Minister defends controversial data system

31 Oct 2022

  • Jayasumana says cost only Rs. 100 mn and will be a paradigm shift
By Buddhika Samaraweera Contrary to the statement made by the Society of Government Pharmacists (SGP) that certain officials of the Health Ministry were working to purchase a new data system for the supply and distribution of medicines at a cost of Rs. 1 billion, former State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals and incumbent MP Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that the relevant data system costs only Rs. 100 million, and its implementation will prove to be a paradigm shift in the health sector of the country. Speaking to The Morning, he said that although real-time data pertaining to pharmaceuticals is essential to eliminate the prevailing drug shortage and irregularities in the purchase of drugs, such data cannot be obtained using the data system that is currently in use. He said that the current data system, which was introduced in 2008, has only covered one-third of the hospitals islandwide, and that data pertaining to all hospitals is thus unavailable. “For instance, China asked Sri Lanka what pharmaceutical drugs we needed when I was the State Minister. However, we had no way to check how much of a particular drug is left other than those that are running out of stock. The main reason for such issues is that the existing data system has covered only about one third of hospitals. Therefore, data regarding stocks of drugs available in every hospital is not available to the Medical Supplies Division (MSD). As proper data is not available, the importers can bring in any amount of drugs by placing emergency orders,” he said. To avoid such issues, Prof. Jayasumana said, it is essential to introduce a new data system which has the capacity to cover every hospital in the country. He said that the data system that is going to be purchased by the Health Ministry has been built up by a local company, and that the University of Colombo (UoC) Information Technology Unit will be monitoring its implementation. He also said that although the SGP has stated that the said data system costs Rs. 1 billion, it costs only Rs. 100 million, and that the said amount is received from the World Bank. “The arrangements were made to introduce this data system when I was the State Minister. However, certain parties with various agendas have been trying to stop it from being bought on several occasions. The Cabinet has approved the purchase of this data system. Therefore, it will be in vain if this will not be implemented.  “The implementation of this project will be a paradigm shift in the country's health sector, and it will prevent irregularities during emergency drug purchases from happening. Whoever is going to implement this system, we should support it without any political difference,” added Prof. Jayasumana. Claiming that the proposed data system, if implemented, will be implemented at the ward level at hospitals, he said that even the number of paracetamol that would be taken by a nursing officer will be entered into the system and that information will be available to the Medical Supplies Division (MSD). Through that, he said that the stocks of all kinds of drugs in nearly 1,200 hospitals islandwide will be available to the MSD, and that the same will make activities pertaining to pharmaceutical drugs such as placing orders, distributing to hospitals and inventory controlling more easier and transparent. Claiming that certain officials of the Health Ministry were working to purchase a new data system for the supply and distribution of medicines at a cost of Rs. 1 billion instead of providing solutions to the shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies in the country, SGP President Ajith Thilakarathna last week requested Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, and the Auditor General to conduct an investigation into the said move.  He claimed that if the Health Ministry is to stop using the existing data system, the country will have to face a serious crisis with regard to drugs and medical supplies in 2023, similar to what took place due to the non-issuance of Letters of Credit for the purchase of such. He also claimed that the company from which the new data system is going to be purchased has introduced such a system to the National Hospital in Kandy, and that it has many errors.


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