An Extraordinary Gazette notification (2340/03) was issued announcing the collection of the census of population and housing in Sri Lanka for the years 2023 and 2024.

• Regulatory mechanism not functioning
  
• Experts call for revamping entire regulatory system of drugs
• NMRA too in a position to develop fully-equipped lab

The absence of an advanced laboratory to test the quality of pharmaceuticals has resulted in an influx of drugs of inferior quality in the market, leading to fatalities of patients at times, medical experts alleged.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) Dr. Haritha Aluthge said Sri Lanka lacks a proper mechanism of regulating the quality of drugs, mostly imported from India.

“That’s why we have been urging the Health Ministry to establish an advanced laboratory with WHO accreditation to test the quality of all batches of drugs coming to the country. What is happening is that the quality of drugs is checked through the patients, which could result in deaths and complications as evident by the recent incidents,” Dr Aluthge said.

“We urge the Government to take prompt measures to set the tone to establish a quality assurance laboratory in collaboration with a suitable foreign body,” he added.

Dr. Aluthge said that a spate of unregistered drugs had entered the country under the emergency purchase, leading to serious concerns among medical professionals.

Commenting on the matter, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne told Daily Mirror that “Irrespective of the origin of the country, there is an independent mechanism of evaluating and improving drugs. Our concern is that National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has failed to effectively manage the due process resulting in a serious breach of confidence among doctors and people on the quality of drugs.”

“We have also noticed that several drugs are being imported by means of a provision called waiver of registration (WOR), which facilitates the import of specific drugs on an emergency basis. However, the NMRA has violated that process as well, leading to grave concerns with regard to the quality of certain drugs,” he argued.

“In this manner, it is evident that the regulatory mechanism of drugs is not functioning properly and there is an immediate need to have a comprehensive analysis as to how a sound testing on the drugs can be conducted,” Dr Ariyaratne added.

A senior official from the NMRA told Daily Mirror that there is an immediate necessity of establishing an advanced laboratory where almost all batches of drugs could be tested in order to ensure the quality of drugs.

(Sheain Fernandopulle)

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Sri Lanka's Long-Term Local-Currency (LTLC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'C' from 'CC'.
The issue ratings on local-currency bonds have also been downgraded to 'C' from 'CC'.

The Right to Information Commission (RTI) yesterday reprimanded officials representing the Parliament for its wavering stance on the possession of Presidential Commission Report of the Easter Sunday Attack and warned that furnishing false information to the former is a punishable offence by law.

A fresh attempt is underway by certain health ministry officials with the blessings of high office bearers of a powerful trade union to undermine the undertaking given by the Health Ministry Secretary to the Court of Appeal on the retirement of medical specialists, two medical specialists alleged on behalf of the 176 petitioners.

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It saves 400 nautical miles for SL multi-day fishing vessels

*Prez to discuss matter when visiting New Delhi

*India extended US $ 4 billion financial assistance during economic crisis

* Nine percent interest assured on EPF bonds

*That is anyway interest paid on average in the past

*As a result, DDR impact on contributions minimum

The All Island Canteen Owners' Association (AICOA) urged its members to hit anyone with hot water, waste water or with their fried rice mixture pan if they refuse to pay their bills.