(COLOMBO) – A Sri Lankan Left-leaning political party on Friday called on the authorities to grill the former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in connection with the US$ 2.5 million substandard Immunoglobulin drug scam that has put many top health officials behind bars.
“Only a few State health officials could not have struck a deal when importing the substandard Immunoglobulin jabs without the involvement of the subject Minister”, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa with the National People’s Power (NPP) said.
“Rambukwella must have given at least oral, if not written instructions regarding the import and therefore he will have to be interrogated in this connection at the very earliest”, Jayatissa told the media in the commercial capital of Colombo.
Dr. Jayatissa questioned as to why the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was so late in obtaining a statement from Rambukwella since the minister may have more details on the deal.
The substandard Immunoglobulin were distributed to several State-operated hospitals and the jab was administered to hundreds if not thousands of unsuspecting patients from lower income families.
The alleged scam came to light after several people that took the jab fell seriously ill owing to chronic side affects prompting the jittery authorities to withdraw the drug from all State hospitals immediately.
