Ministerial sub committee to look into complaints:

No shortage of drugs- Health Minister

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena categorically denied certain media reports that his Ministry has imported, distributed or issued any substandard drugs to patients.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said a Ministerial Sub Committee has been appointed under his chairmanship to rectify the existing shortcomings on drug imports. The Minister has decided to formulate a new program to prevent various malpractices alleged to have taken place when drugs and medical equipment were imported by ensuring the transparency of such transactions.

The Minister said at present there is no shortage of drugs in any Government hospital as highlighted by certain sections of the media. There is no possibility of a patient dying in any Government hospital due to the shortage of drugs.

If the Ministry has not received any drugs on time under its tender procedure, steps will be taken to purchase that drug instantly. However, the Minister said most of the people don’t have a proper understanding of the time frame taken to import a drug, once the order is placed. It takes about 16 months to receive drugs from the time the tender is submitted. Nearly 80 percent of drugs available in the world are manufactured after the order has been placed. People have to understand this reality.

Q: There are various allegations levelled against the import of substandard drugs. What action has been taken by your Ministry in this regard?

A: The Health Ministry has not imported or distributed any substandard drugs. Patients have not been given any substandard drugs. If we take the last year, no complaints have been made regarding the import of substandard drugs.

I have called for an investigation regarding the tender procedure that has been followed in the import of a perticular drug. At present investigations are underway.

If this drug is not suitable for patients, steps will be taken to prevent importing. It, I can assure that no substandard drugs have been imported by the Ministry.

There are media reports about the import of substandard drugs, but no brand name has been mentioned. There are some employees in the Ministry who provide wrong or distorted information to the media. I don’t put the blame on journalists or the media institution for it.

Q: How can the authorities be satisfied with the quality of these drugs and vaccines?

A: An imported drug has to be approved by three major bodies before the drug is given to a patient. We have also two boards of experts to approve and register a drug. Once that drug is approved and registered by these two boards, each drug is checked at our laboratories. Therefore the permission to issue a drug to patients is granted only after medical tests are completed. We don’t have adequate technical resources to conduct research on some imported drugs.

These drugs are sent to foreign countries to conduct research. Such drugs are issued to patients after the necessary certificate is received by the Ministry.

Following a request made by me, a Ministerial Sub Committee was appointed two weeks ago under my chairmanship to rectify various shortcomings on drug imports.

The initial discussion of this Ministerial Sub Committee was held on Wednesday with Ministers Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Susil Premajayantha and Champika Ranawaka. We intend to formulate a new program to prevent various malpractices that occur when drugs and medical equipment are imported by ensuring the transparency of such transactions.

Some shortcomings have occurred regarding the tender procedure that has been followed.

Those shortcomings should be rectified. Therefore we hope to discuss with the Treasury and formulate a new program on the import of drugs. This program would rectify the existing problems on drug imports.

Q: Is there a shortage of essential drugs in certain Government hospitals as highlighted by certain sections of the media?

A: At present there is no big shortage of drugs in any Government hospital as highlighted by the certain sections of the media. According to my knowledge there is no possibility in any Government hospital for a patient to die due to the shortage of drugs. If the Ministry has not received any drug on time, steps will be taken to purchase the drug instantly.

If any essential drug is not available in a hospital, the Ministry will take immediate measures to provide that drug.

We have also given necessary powers and money to the Hospital Director to purchase the drug. But the distribution process of drugs at institutional level should be conducted in a more formal manner.

When I highlight these things, one may say I always keep repeating the same thing. But we have to work with the people.

It is not an easy task to reform people who are used to various practices in their work place. For example, drugs in the Colombo main storehouses are not distributed to provincial stores on time. In addition, drugs in those provincial stores are not sent to stores in hospitals on time, while the drugs available in the hospital stores do not go to the ward on time.

Sometimes those who are in charge of the ward do not know that the particular drug is in the refrigerator or cupboard of the ward. I have seen such incidents occurring.

We have to deal with the business world regarding the purchase of drugs. We can’t say all businessmen earn money in a justifiable manner.

There are some people in the business world who earn money in an unjustifiable manner as well. As we all know, the drug industry is one of the biggest rackets in the world. As a Government, when we work with the business world, certain problems occur. The subject of drugs is a very complex issue. Sometimes we may not be able to receive certain brands of drugs on time.

Drugs are not manufactured and stored like other consumer items. Therefore we have to understand this reality. Private hospitals or the private sector has the ability to import drugs directly from any foreign country without any tender procedure.

But a Government cannot act in such a manner. It has to follow proper financial regulations, tender procedure and maintain transparency when drugs are imported. So some shortcomings may occur when these transactions are made. I believe we would be able to rectify many of these shortcomings with the new program to be introduced shortly.

Q: What is the present progress of the anti-Dengue drive launched by the Ministry?

A: The national Dengue eradication program is implemented through the Presidential Task Force established last year. Whatever criticisms are levelled with regard to the present situation, I would like to say with responsibility that if this Presidential Task Force was not set up, the situation in the country would have been far worse.

The number of Dengue related deaths and patients would have been higher. Instead of calling it a Dengue prevention program, we call it ‘prevention of mosquito breeding’ as the mosquito menace has led to several kinds of diseases. During the last year, three weeks for the prevention of mosquito breeding program was declared under our islandwide program.

In addition, this mosquito prevention program is being implemented in the country on a daily basis. When the rain begins from time to time, mosquito breeding increases. The rain is expected during October. Therefore we have decided to declare the first week of October as the national week for prevention of mosquito breeding. We should extend our gratitude to Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa because we have been able to fulfil much of the work with the Presidential Task Force due to assistance provided by the three Armed Forces, Police and other Local Government institutions to eradicate Dengue. I regret that some Local Government institutions do not fulfil their responsibility.

This year, most of the Dengue related deaths have been reported from Kolonnawa and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Urban Council areas. The assistance provided by these Local Government institutions to eradicate Dengue is very low.

This has become one of the key reasons for the spread of Dengue in these areas. It is Local Government institutions and environmental institutions which have the responsibility to eradicate Dengue, rather than the Health Ministry. Therefore these institutions should fulfil their responsibility in a more efficient manner.

Q: Channel 4 has let loose a crusade against Sri Lanka on fictitious grounds. What have you got to say about this?

A: It is very clear that this is a conspiracy hatched by the LTTE. At present pro-LTTE elements in collaboration with some foreign countries which favour the LTTE have launched an international conspiracy against Sri Lanka by using some media institutions. Though the LTTE was physically destroyed in our country, pro-LTTE elements in some foreign counties who represent LTTE ideology are still fighting for it. As a Government, we have already launched our publicity campaign to counter the false propaganda campaign launched by the pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora.

As a responsible Government, we have engaged in our task to explain the true situation to the world. At the same time, these pro-LTTE elements have also launched a campaign against Sri Lanka. But we are confident that our publicity campaign will be successful.

Q: World notorious terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda, Shining Path and the Naxalites are still active. But Sri Lanka annihilated the ruthless LTTE. Why should the so-called democracies try to penalise Sri Lanka for this heroic act?

A: If we don’t mention the names of the countries, anybody who has an understanding about international politics is well aware how powerful states in the world which clamour for democracy and human rights are acting beyond their limits nationally and internationally.

The people can see the interference made by these powerful states into the internal affairs of sovereign countries, while creating conflict situations by killing thousands of people in such countries.

The people can see the catastrophe in Iraq. Even British intelligence sources have stated that the reports on Iraq given to leaders in power at that time were not accurate. That is how one million people in Iraq were killed, based on these false reports. It is these world super powers who resort to this kind of crime in some sovereign countries. International attention has been focused on our country due to its significant geographical location.

Therefore powerful countries are very keen on Sri Lanka at both regional and international level. In this context, certain international forces want to elect Leaders who dance according to their tune. This undue pressure made to Sri Lanka by some Western countries is very inhuman. As a democratic country, they should allow us to move forward freely.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will never bow down to these Western countries to betray Sri Lanka. It is very obvious that this kind of pressure may be exerted on a leader of the calibre of President Rajapaksa who always cares for his country.

When LTTE terrorism was eradicated, we know the pressure mounted by the West to stop the war and not to cause damage to the life of LTTE Leader Prabhakaran.

But we acted as a sovereign country and a responsible Government without heeding them. Some Western countries are angry with Sri Lanka. When we consider freedom, human rights and fundamental rights of the people of a sovereign country, I would like to say that the behaviour of some powerful countries that speak about five star democracy is very shameful.

Q: The GSP Plus, human rights, accountability, war crimes and a host of other issues have been ‘invented’ to denigrate Sri Lanka. Your comments?

A: These kind of allegations are levelled against us. But we should move forward as a country by responding to these allegations. All these are political conspiracies hatched to discredit the Government. The LTTE rump is behind 99 percent of these conspiracies.

Q: The TNA has given an ultimatum. The Government wants the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to propose a solution. What is the actual situation regarding the Government-TNA talks?

A: Discussions are going on between the Government and the TNA. At the moment, I can’t comment on the decisions reached at these discussions. Decisions have to be taken with regard to the future of the country, it cannot be done in 24 hours.

The problems based on these discussions have been dragging over the past 40 to 50 years.

Therefore 24-hour decisions should not be taken to settle these problems. These decisions should be taken patiently and intelligently by thinking of the future of the country.

I believe we would be able to formulate a necessary program for the country’s future. But we have not reached a final agreement on any issue so far.

Q: Do you not think it is time to forge a strong link with the Opposition in the national interest to fight foreign interference in our domestic affairs?

A: In any country in the world, it is the responsibility of the Government and the Opposition to rally round as a country when various international threats and interferences are made against the country. Unfortunately, our Opposition Leaders have no such experience about in such matters.

They go all over the world and betray our country. We should face international pressure as Sri Lankans who represent one Government. It is essential that the Opposition should act in unison with the Government on the issues of national interest without carrying tales worldwide to betray the country.

Q: Speculation is rife that Emergency will be withdrawn as there is peace in the country. Does the Government have an agenda to withdraw the Emergency?

A: At present everybody is talking about withdrawing the Emergency. Although military operations against the LTTE have ended, thousands of LTTE suspects who have serious charges against them are still in custody. Sometimes we have to face some emergency situations where certain simple clauses of the Emergency are essential.

The Opposition, can say there is no need for the extension of the Emergency. But when they are in power, they understand the need for some simple clauses of the Emergency to take action in connection with terrorist activities, violence and various other crimes committed by the underworld.

The common allegation levelled is that Emergency regulations are misused. Then those who complain should point out the incident where the Emergency has been misused.

In a situation where thousands of LTTE suspects are under custody, steps have to be taken against suspects who are connected with various crimes and illegal activities. Action against them has to be taken in a justifiable manner. Anybody can say power has been misused.

It is the responsibility of those who exercise power to use it for the betterment of the country and its people. The Opposition always levels allegations against the Government in power.

Q: Despite on-going countrywide development programs, serious allegations are levelled by the Opposition regarding fraud, malpractices and total mismanagement. What have you got to say about these?

A: As an Opposition they should have something to say against the Government. Otherwise, the responsibility of the Opposition is not fulfilled. If any fraud or malpractices have occurred, there is a law in the country to take action regarding these. In addition, the Bribery and Corruption Commission is also there. Citizens have the power to complain to the Police or judiciary about such incidents.

Therefore everybody can take action regarding such incidents according to the existing laws of the country. There is no need to talk about it in Parliament or on political stages without having reason to prove them. However, this is the traditional role played by the Opposition and we should allow it.

Q: Is the Government ready to meet the challenge of the forthcoming Local Government elections, particularly the Colombo Municipal Council?

A: We should honestly accept the fact that the UNP has a vote base in these Municipal Council areas. That is the political culture created in this country. Even earlier an SLFP-led Government has not been able to win the Colombo Municipal Council(CMC). In addition, there are several other Municipal Councils which the UNP has a vote base. But this Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has done a series of development work in these Municipal Council areas during the past few years.

Everybody can see the massive development carried out by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) within the Colombo city under the guidance of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A lot of new development initiatives which never operated before within the Colombo city have commenced by the UDA. The people won’t be able get these services done by giving power to a Local Government institution which is led by the Opposition.

We believe the people will vest the power of the CMC and the rest of the Municipal Councils to the UPFA, by considering the rapid development made by the Government in those Municipal Council areas as well as the on-going development taking place in those areas. During our election campaign, we will explain this to voters in urban areas. In addition, voters are aware about the fact that there is no use to vote for the Opposition.

The Opposition is not in a position to think of the country or consolidate power even within a Rural Development Society without resolving their party crisis.

I believe the people will not hand over an established institution represented by the people to an Opposition which is facing to severe crisis. During our election campaign when we explain the facts in detail to the people, we firmly believe the UPFA would be able to gain power in all these Local Government institutions.