Health Ministry denies buying injections at exorbitant prices

The Ministry of Health yesterday denied claims that they were attempting to buy Ganciclovir and Linezolid injections at ten times their market price.

The Ministry said that it had only commenced the procurement process to buy the injections and that a final decision had not been taken.

The Ministry says that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has placed a maximum retail price of 8,500 rupees for an injection of Ganciclovir.

The Ministry said that there had been a discussion on the media reports on Monday (03) and that it was revealed that the country had already received on shipment of injections. Therefore, the Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella has asked officials not to purchase that drug with Asian Development Bank (ADB) funds.

On Sunday College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President, Ravi Kumudesh said some officials are trying to buy the Ganciclovir injection at Rs. 77,000 and Linezolid injection at Rs. 2,200.