A news report is circulating on social media these days about a medicine that can be purchased for Rs. 370 being sold for over Rs. 76,000. Speaking on the matter in Colombo today, Cabinet Spokesperson, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the purchase of this medicine, which is used for heart surgeries, for such a high price shows the extent of the drug mafia.
He stated that a monopoly has been created by importing this medicine through a single company without allowing other companies to register, and that the government has committed this fraud by purchasing the medicine at the price they offered.
He said that from 2019 to 2023, Rs. 342.49 million has been spent on purchasing this medicine, and that this medicine has been imported for heart surgeries at various prices up to Rs. 76,000.
The Health Minister, who said that this company that imported the medicine has political connections and that several people who are related to this company are in Parliament, stated that he will make a full disclosure in this regard in Parliament as the Health Minister.