SPC won't be privatised - Minister

by Shanika Sriyananda

Minister of Health and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva has assured that the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) would not be privatised and in fact it was a good example to show that the state sector could compete with the private sector when using good management strategies.

"Some international agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank say the state sector institutions are inactive and not competitive. But the SPC is the best example that the state sector can be competitive having good management skills", he said.

Minister de Silva addressing the Annual Suppliers' Convention at the Kandalama Hotel yesterday said that some suppliers, after being awarded the tender, had failed to supply drugs regularly and this has created an artificial shortage of some drugs in state hospitals.

He also said that the Ministry would take action to cancel the licences of local and foreign suppliers who delay the supply of medical drugs and also those who supply poor quality drugs to the SPC.

He said that an overall study would be conducted about the supply of drugs and the licences of those suppliers, who fail to maintain a smooth supply of drugs to the SPC would be cancelled. "This is mainly to maintain a good flow of drugs to the state hospitals and also to avoid sub standard drugs entering the market", Minister de Silva said.