President, Academy of Health Professionals, Ravi Kumudesh, yesterday (22), alleged that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) decision to suspend several batches of Ondansetron Injection USP 8 mg/4 mL (Batch Nos: OD24021E, OD25009E, OD25024E, OD25023E), following suspicions of patient complications, and a few reported deaths, seemed to be a bid to cover-up the latest public health sector crisis.

Kumudesh said so responding to The Island queries.

Kumudesh pointed out that the Chief Executive Officer of the NMRA, and other responsible officials of the Ministry of Health, were on record as having said that the alleged bacterial contamination in the medicine in question was based on laboratory test results generated at the Microbiology Laboratory of the National Hospital, Kandy.

He, however, emphasised that the Kandy facility lacked legally mandated facilities, validated systems, or regulatory accreditation required to conduct pharmaceutical sterility testing in accordance with internationally accepted regulatory standards.

“The Academy of Health Professionals is aware that the Microbiology Laboratory of the National Hospital, Kandy, does not possess the required facilities,” Kumudesh said, urging the government to come clean in this matter.

Kumudesh said the regulatory action taken by the political authority was aimed at deceiving the public, and theAcademy of Health Professionals had raised the issues with Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Health Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, NMRA head Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama and Director General Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena.

Kumudesh pointed out that the Kandy facility was meant to meet requirements within the Kandy National Hospital and not a world standard testing lab. Kumedesh sought an explanation as to how the suspended Ondansetron Injection had been administered on 13 December to a person warded at the hospital where NMRA head is based, a day after the NMRA decided to suspend it.

Public health sector trade union activist Kumudesh said that the Health Ministry couldn’t turn a blind eye to the disclosure that post-mortem reports of two persons, who allegedly died after being given the same medicine by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, did not identify the medicine as the cause of death. According to him, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases administered the same medicine to patients, on multiple occasions, in the wake of the controversy.

Kumudesh said that it would be the responsibility of the government to ensure a comprehensive technical, legal, and administrative investigation into, what he called, Ondansetron affair. Having lambasted all previous governments of waste, corruption and irregularities, at the expense of the hapless public, the NPP couldn’t, under any circumstances, side-step the issue. “In the interest of transparency, regulatory credibility, and the protection of public health, this should be properly investigated,” Kumudesh said.

The crux of the matter was that the very basis of NMRA’s suspension of Ondansetron batches seemed to be irregular and questionable, Kumudesh said.

The Academy of Health Professionals, in its letter to Dr. Jayatissa, sought the Health Ministry’s response to the following questions: 1. Who requested the Microbiology Laboratory of the National Hospital, Kandy, to conduct sterility testing on this medicinal product?

2. Under what legal provisions was such a request made, and on what basis was the laboratory authorised to accept and perform such testing?

3. Who conducted the test, and who issued the report? Did those individuals possess the requisite professional qualifications, regulatory authorisation, and legal mandate to do so?

4. Did the laboratory possess the required infrastructure, validated testing systems, quality assurance mechanisms, and specialised training necessary to perform pharmaceutical sterility testing in compliance with regulatory standards?

5. If patient complications were attributed to microbial contamination, were all related materials—including syringes, IV lines, infusion fluids, and other associated devices—systematically tested? If not, on what scientific basis was it concluded that the contamination originated exclusively from the medicine?

6. Given that the NMRA is legally empowered to suspend a medicine as a precautionary measure, even without laboratory confirmation, when serious safety concerns arise, what was the justification for relying on an irregular and non-regulatory laboratory test instead?

Kumudesh stressed that Ondansetron, and nine other injectable medicines that had been suspended, were all ordered by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) from an Indian manufacturer, Maan Pharmaceuticals.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst the ongoing controversy over the suspension of several batches of Indian manufactured Ondansetron Injection USP 8 mg/4 mL (Batch Nos: OD24021E, OD25009E, OD25024E, OD25023E) over safety fears, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa undertook a visit to New Delhi.

The Indian HC in Colombo said: ‘Dr. Jayatissa, the Minister of Health and Mass Media of the Government of Sri Lanka led a delegation to India from 17–19 December 2025 to participate in the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The Summit was jointly organized by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.

The Summit was held under the theme “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-Being” and aimed to advance a global movement focused on restoring balance for individuals and the planet through the scientific understanding and practice of traditional medicine.

During the Summit, the Minister participated in the Ministerial Roundtable and delivered his remarks, highlighting Sri Lanka’s perspectives and rich traditions in Ayurveda and traditional healing.

During the visit, the Minister held bilateral meetings with Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in healthcare and traditional medicine, including regulatory collaboration, research linkages, and capacity-building initiatives.

On the sidelines of the programme, Minister Jayatissa also visited Apollo Hospitals to gain insights into the implementation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models and to explore best practices.

The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Sri Lanka to deepen collaboration in the fields of health and traditional medicine and to explore new avenues of partnership for the benefit of the people of both countries.’

Seeppukulama incident highlights the dangerous escalation of human–elephant conflict, where frustration, fear and lack of proper mitigation measures are increasingly leading to violent outcomes – Wildlife Director General

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has launched a high-level inquiry into the shocking death of an elephant found burnt at Seeppukulama, amid a growing number of elephant fatalities reported from across the country, Wildlife Director General told The Island.

Describing the Seeppukulama incident as “deeply disturbing,” the Director General said special investigation teams have been deployed to determine whether the elephant’s death was the result of deliberate human action, negligence or a criminal act linked to human–elephant conflict.

“This is an extremely serious case. An elephant being burnt points to a grave offence. We have ordered a comprehensive investigation, including forensic analysis and field-level inquiries, to establish exactly what happened and to identify those responsible,” he said.

According to the Director General, the inquiry will examine whether flammable materials, illegal deterrents or unauthorised electric devices were used, and whether there were prior incidents of conflict in the Seeppukulama area that may have led to retaliatory action against the animal.

He stressed that initial observations indicate the death was not due to natural causes. “If this is confirmed as a deliberate act, it will be treated as a serious wildlife crime. The law will be enforced without hesitation,” he warned.

The Director General said the Seeppukulama incident highlights the dangerous escalation of human–elephant conflict, where frustration, fear and lack of proper mitigation measures are increasingly leading to violent outcomes.

“Burning an elephant is not only illegal, it reflects a complete breakdown in coexistence. Such acts cannot be justified under any circumstances,” he said.

He noted that elephant deaths from electrocution, shooting and other human-induced causes have continued to rise, particularly in areas where settlements and agricultural lands overlap with traditional elephant ranges.

“Elephants are paying the price for unplanned development and habitat fragmentation. When corridors are blocked and forests shrink, conflict becomes inevitable,” the Director General said.

The DWC is working closely with the Police, Government Analyst’s Department and other relevant agencies to fast-track investigations into elephant deaths, including the Seeppukulama case. He added that officers have been instructed to take stern action against illegal electric fences, unauthorised power connections and other hazardous practices.

He also urged the public to assist investigators by coming forward with information related to the Seeppukulama incident. “Community cooperation is vital. Protecting elephants is not the responsibility of Wildlife officers alone; it is a national duty,” he said.

Sri Lanka is home to one of the largest remaining Asian elephant populations, and the Director General warned that continued losses—especially through brutal and unlawful acts—pose a serious threat to the species’ survival.

“The elephant is part of our natural and cultural heritage. Every such death, including the one at Seeppukulama, is a stark reminder that we must urgently rethink how we manage land, development and conflict,” he told The Island.

He reaffirmed the DWC’s commitment to strengthening enforcement, improving conflict mitigation strategies and ensuring that those responsible for wildlife crimes are brought to justice, stressing that impunity will only worsen the crisis.

By Ifham Nizam