Dr. Senaratne orders inquiry into activities of certain specialists

Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne yesterday instructed Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickrama to conduct an inquiry into the activities of specialists who are allegedly attempting to create a nonexistent shortage of drugs prescribed for cancer patients.

When an investigation was conducted by the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) into complaints received by the Health Ministry on the nonavailability of certain drugs given to cancer patients, it was revealed that the shortage was a result of the activities of certain cancer specialists, that in turn compelled Minister Senaratne to order that an inquiry be conducted to weed out the culprits. “I don’t understand why certain cancer specialists at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama (NCIM) refuse to prescribe cancer drugs imported from Russia. They claim cancer drugs are not available at the NCIM. This is extremely cruel, unethical and unprofessional. The ultimate victims of this malicious act are the poor cancer patients. I want to know the truth behind this report. I will take disciplinary action against these doctors after the inquiry if they have indulged in any unlawful or unethical action that has affected cancer patients,” he said. Minister Senaratne said that a group of cancer specialists have been sponsored by a multi-national drug supplier on a merry-making trip to Denmark recently and the inquiry covers that trip as well and added that it is mandatory for government doctors to prescribe the drugs supplied by the Health Ministry.

Commenting on the slashing of prices of 48 essential drugs regularly used by heart, diabetic, asthma, lung, arthritis, stomach disorder and kidney patients, Minister Senaratne said patients around the country will benefit immensely from this with their monthly medical expenses sometimes reducing by half.

“The introduction of a price formula was not an easy task at all. There were so many road blocks, conspiracies and misinformation that was spread until 1972 when respected medical professional, Prof. Senaka Bibile first introduced it in his National Medicinal Drug Policy (NMDP). However, we were able to introduce it after more than 40 years following years of meticulous research, surveys and studies both locally and globally while also facing the threats posed by the drug mafia.