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Medical Specialists lambast govt.’s attempt to restructure NMRA
The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has written to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesingh, expressing its grave concern over recent media reports of intended ‘administrative restructuring’ of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) for ‘establishing a system to import medicine, bypassing the NMRA’. These attempts are being pushed by unscrupulous elements with vested interests trying to blame the NMRA for the shortage of drugs in the country, the AMS has said in its letter signed by Dr LakKumar Fernando President-AMS, and Dr R Gnanasekeram General Secretary-AMS
The AMS has pointed out that NMRA was established through an Act of Parliament (NMRA Act No 5 of
2015) in 2015 to provide regulatory oversight for medicinal products. It was established as an apex body independent of the Department of Health with the sole objective of improving availability of quality assured medicines and medical devices to our people. By engaging in such NMRA ensures professionalism and transparency in the regulatory process. This is in line with global good regulatory practices and good governance, strongly encouraged, endorsed and supported by the World Health Organization.
The AMS letter to the PM further says: “It should be noted that the NMRA as a regulatory body have absolutely no role to play in the procurement of medicines to state or other agencies. As all of us are very well aware, the present drug shortage in the country is due to lack of foreign currency where main purchasing arm (SPC together with MSD) could not place necessary orders on time and NMRA has no responsibility in this matter.
“Therefore, we feel that these allegations are baseless and unfounded. Such allegations are fabricated intentionally to destabilize the well-established regulatory system of medicines in our country. In our opinion, blaming the medicines regulator on the current shortage of certain medicines and medical devices is baseless, irrational and totally unacceptable.
“Further, we are aware that the NMRA acted promptly and proactively in establishing a mechanism to accept donations of medicines in the present crisis. Unfortunately, the support received from some of the directorates of the ministry of health in this endeavor was not encouraging.
“It is very important to note that interfering with the independence of the National medicines regulator is a retrogressive step, which will only pave the way to undesirables to profiteer at the expense of general public who have already been hit hard by the spiraling economic downturn. Many attempts have been made to meddle with the independence of the NMRA in the recent past at the behest of politicians and businesses with vested interests. Continuing to do so will ultimately destroy the NMRA, compromising the safety and efficacy of medicines available to the public.
“Therefore, we urge the Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Health not to be misled by poor advice of various elements with vested interest. Instead, we urge you to take meaningful steps to solve the issue of dearth of medicines whilst strengthening the independence of the NMRA. At the same time, the Association of Medical specialists will not hesitate to take appropriate action if the independence and the autonomy of the NMRA is interfered with.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
