What’s the objective of SLPMC producing drugs locally if they are more costly than Indian products? – GMOF

What is the rationale of the SLPMC manufacturing drugs locally if they are more expensive than products imported from India?, the Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) queried.

Local manufacturing of pharmacueticals has become a terminology that’s being used more as a tool for propoganda purposes of shady government officials, who mislead the political hierarchy as it gives an overall picture of nationalistic patriotism, GMOF President, Dr. Rukshan Bellana, asserted at a news conference at the Abhayaramaya Temple in Colombo on Thursday.

Under the cover of a patriotic slogan to buy what is Sri Lankan, some officials are making big bucks as commissions, he charged. “This happened during the former government and continues unabated under the present dispensation as well”.

Dr. Bellana said that the accepted norm under the Health Ministry’s ‘buy back guarantees’ is to maintain the MRP (Maximum Retail Price) for the specific duration of the agreement. However, what’s happening now is that prices of locally produced drugs are increased virtually every three months, which is highly irregular.

Some SLPMC officials are having a rolicking time, he claimed. “The more the prices of the products are pushed up, the more they benefit as some manufacturing companies have no option but to see to their comforts”.

The whole objective of producing drugs locally is to offer them at affordable prices to patients. What is the purpose served if the products are more expensive than Indian imports?, Dr. Bellana asked.

“We expected the present government to probe irregularities at the SLPMC during the previous regime. However, nothing happened. A relative of a former senior official in the previous government was appointed to a top slot and the sing-along continues, while patients have to fork out more money to buy their medicines”, the trade union president further asserted.

GMOF secretary, Dr. Kamal Perera and Dr. Nandika Sembukuttiarachchi and Dr. Kumarasiri Manage, assistant  secretaries, were also present at the news conference.