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Empowering Health Equity: SLCPI pledges to continue advocating for quality and affordable choice of medicine

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Prathaban

New board appointed at the 63rd AGM

Newly elected President of Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries (SLCPI) M. Prathaban has assured that they are keen to ensure a fair and transparent pricing mechanism with the end objective of making quality medicine available to the public.

Prathaban said that the continuing dialogue with the regulatory authorities to make quality testing available for import medicines would continue under the new committee to ensure high standard medicines were brought into the market. He stressed the importance of maintaining availability and affordability.

Over the past years, the SLCPI has worked closely with various stakeholders and policy-making institutions in communicating the industry’s ground situation to facilitate sustainable policy and decision making, he said.

The SLCPI held the 63rd Annual General Meeting recently, with the

participation of its membership including leading pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers of the country.

Charting its course towards consistent availability of quality medicine to the Sri Lankan public and sustaining an effective pharmaceutical industry, the AGM saw the convening of over 230 members of SLCPI. HE Santosh Jha, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka graced the event as Chief Guest with Murtaza Jafferjee, Chairperson of Advocata Institute attending as the Guest of Honour.

Prathaban outlined the challenges that the pharmaceutical industry experiences during the present economic recovery period, highlighting the numerous actions taken by SLCPI as a collective body to engage and advocate for the progress of the pharmaceutical industry in Sri Lanka.

“SLCPI has successfully sustained the pharmaceutical industry of the country during challenging times in the recent past, and we are committed to take forward our efforts for the betterment of the industry. Quality, affordability and availability have been the cornerstones of the Chamber’s mission, where we continue to engage with all stakeholders to ensure that the people of Sri Lanka have a choice in accessing essential medicines.

“Our innovations and advancements have the power to save lives, alleviate suffering and enhance the quality of life for millions of people. As a Chamber, it is our responsibility to put all our efforts, based on the guidelines of fairness, transparency and sustainability, to advance our offering to the country,” he added.

The new board members for 2024/25 was appointed unanimously with M. Prathaban – Deputy Chairman/Group CEO, Emerchemie NB (Ceylon) Ltd. taking the helm as President for the second consecutive year. He will be ably supported by Immediate Past President – Sanjiva Wijesekera (Executive Director, George Steuart Health (Pvt) Ltd.), Senior Vice President – Shantha Bandara (Executive Director/CEO, Sunshine Health Lanka Ltd.), Vice President – Jude Fernando (Managing Director, Hemas Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd.), Hon. Secretary – Sirimal Fernando (Director/CEO, Astron Limited) and Hon. Treasurer – Rasika Hirimuthugoda (CEO, Darley Butler & Co Ltd.).

Council Members elected at the AGM include Indoscan (Pvt) Ltd, Emar Pharma (Pvt) Ltd, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt) Ltd and Muller & Phipps Healthcare Ltd.

Astron Ltd. and Emergen Lifescience (Pvt) Ltd were appointed as Manufacturers, while PharmaCo (Pvt) Ltd was appointed Authorised Distributor (Non-Importer). Kalbe International Pte. Ltd will officiate as the Non-Trading/Liaison Office/Branch Office and Healthguard Pharmacy Ltd will operate as Retailer.



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

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The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 0400hrs on 12th June 2026 to 0400hrs on 13th June 2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Doluwa in the Kandy district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ayagama, Ratnapura, Godakawela, Kalawana and Nivitigala in the Ratnapura district

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Wife, counsel seek regular access to ex-Spy Chief Sallay held under President’s detention order

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Suresh Sallay

Wife of former State Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Suresh Sallay has asked CID Director retired SSP Shani Abeysekera to allow her, her family members and lawyers to visit her husband in the National Hospital, Colombo. Sallay’s counsel has also written to Abeysekera, asking for permission to visit the former spy held on a detention order signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The text of Manori’s letter: “I respectfully request your assistance in granting me, and my daughter or alternatively my son, permission to visit my husband, Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is currently at the National Hospital, Colombo.

“As you are aware, my husband is presently engaged in a fast-unto-death campaign. His physical condition and emotional well-being are of deep concern to our family. During this difficult period, the presence and support of his immediate family are extremely important to him.

“I firmly believe that regular visits from me with our daughter or our son would help uplift his spirits, provide him with much-needed emotional strength, and may encourage him to reconsider continuing this course of action. Family support can play a vital role in preserving his mental and emotional health while he remains hospitalised.

“In view of these exceptional circumstances, I kindly request that permission be granted for either me and my daughter or my son to visit him daily during the period of his hospitalisation.

“I would be most grateful for your compassionate consideration of this request.”

“The text of the counsel’s letter: “I write in my capacity as Counsel for Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is presently under detention and admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.

As you are aware, Major General Sallay has embarked on a fast-unto-death campaign, giving rise to serious concerns regarding his physical and mental well-being. In these circumstances, it is imperative that I be granted reasonable and regular access to my client during his hospitalisation.

As his legal representative, I have a professional obligation to monitor his condition and obtain instructions from him so that I may accurately apprise the relevant courts of his health status and any developments affecting his rights and welfare. Effective legal representation requires continuous communication with my client, particularly in light of the grave circumstances presently confronting him.

I also wish to respectfully highlight that Major General Sallay has placed explicit trust and confidence in me as his counsel. Indeed, I was the first person he contacted following his arrest.

Given the trust he reposes in me, I believe I am uniquely positioned to engage with him constructively and persuade him to discontinue this campaign and instead place his confidence in the legal remedies and judicial processes available to him.

For these reasons, I respectfully request that I be granted permission to visit my client on a daily basis during the period of his hospitalization.

Such access would not only facilitate the discharge of my professional responsibilities but may also contribute meaningfully towards safeguarding his health and encouraging a resolution through lawful and institutional means.

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CIABOC summons Yoshitha over his participation in British Navy training programme

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Yoshitha

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who served as a Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy, has now been summoned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption next Tuesday (16) for questioning over his participation in a Royal Navy training programme in the United Kingdom outside established procedures.

The Commission is expected to record statements in relation to several complaints received regarding his recruitment and subsequent service in the Navy after he enlisted on December 14, 2006.

According to sources, the investigation focuses on allegations concerning the educational qualifications considered at the time of his enlistment, as well as foreign training opportunities he is said to have received while in service, which are suspected to have been granted in violation of due process.

The Bribery Commission has launched the inquiry under the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, officials said.

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