People fallen prey to drug racketeers, says JVP

(November 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Kumara Dissanayake, JVP MP asked in parliament today whether a systematic investigation had been launched into the suspicious incidents surrounding the use of low quality drugs. Directing the question at the government MPs, the parliamentarian noted that in a situation where the sale of medicine had become a racket, the people had become a prey to these racketeers.

He charged that the report of the investigation, carried out by the World Health Organisation representatives following the death of a student in Matara after being administered with the rubella vaccine, is yet to be released.

The MP noted that other such incidents include a weevil being found inside a medicine vial, a piece of plastic being found inside a saline bottle at the Embilipitiya hospital, aluminium strips being found inside saline bottles at other government hospitals and discoloured particles being found inside vials containing anti-venom serum at the Anuradhapura and Hambantota hospitals.

Responding to those observations, Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva said that he was committed to providing people with a quality service.

He also tabled a report of the World Health Organisation into the death of a student who died after being administered with the rubella vaccine.

Quoting the report, the minister noted that the WHO representatives had found that the vaccine conformed to proper quality standards.

-Sri Lanka Guardian