It was revealed in the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that a personal company named Savorite was released Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to import 38 types of medications in 2022 without the assessment of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
The former Secretary to the Ministry of Health likewise notified the Committee that the previous Minister of Health had given directions to pick this personal business called Savorite to import medications in this way.This was revealed when the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of Parliament met in Parliament on Wednesday (March 26), under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, to analyze the Auditor Generals reports for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 and the existing efficiency of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, the Department of Communication of Parliament said.The Committee Chair notified the committee that on December 30, 2022, the NMRA had actually provided Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to a personal business called Savorite for the import of 38 kinds of medications submitted through unsolicited propositions without the evaluation of the NMRA.
The Committee Chair stated that the NMRA has abandoned its responsibility, mentioning that the purpose of establishing the NMRA is to guarantee the quality, security and efficacy of those medications which it can not be turned over to the Medical Supplies Sector.Former members of the Board of Directors of the NMRA said that considering that the import of medications through a special pathway with previous approval was carried out, the Board of Directors might not approve authorization for it without carrying out a proper evaluation.
Therefore, they stated that they did not accept duty in this regard.Accordingly, this matter was gone over at length in the committee, and it was exposed that the former Minister of Health had instructed to pick a personal business called Savorite to import the medications in brief supply for 3 months.Meanwhile, the Committee also went over at length the Cabinet Memorandum submitted by the previous Minister of Health on 26 September 2022.
The Committee Chair asked from the Ministry of Health authorities about the fact that a great deal of medications would reach no levels within the next 3 weeks from the date of submission of the pertinent Cabinet Memorandum.The officials who responded said that the information had been added to the Cabinet Memorandum based upon the details gotten from the existing database relating to medications.
The committee Chair stated that it was unacceptable for a large number of medications to reach absolutely no levels at the very same time and that the relevant responsible officials had actually acted irresponsibly till such a level was reached.The Auditor General, who spoke at the time, specified that the medications that were ordered and to be gotten in advance have actually likewise been imported, mentioning that the medications have actually reached zero levels.Accordingly, the committee chair instructed the officials to send a full report to the Committee on who were the authorities involved in preparing this Cabinet Memorandum.
The Chair further specified that a full report relating to the import of these medications will be prepared by the Committee and sent to Parliament, which required action will be taken expeditiously.The Members of Parliament Mano Ganeshan, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S.
M.
Marikkar, Chaminda Wijesiri, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, Sudath Balagalla, (Dr.) S.
Sri Bavanandarajah, Lieutenant Commander (Retd.) Prageeth Madhuranga and Samanmali Gunasinghe existed in this committee meeting.