SPC Chairman and MD quitting

ECONOMYNEXT – State Pharmaceutical Corporation Chairman Dr Prasanna Gunasena has decided to step down.

He was appointed as SPC chairman on December 22, 2019 and took a leading role in the country’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out with regard to the import of vaccines under SPC purview in early 2021.

“I have a health issue. It is a kind of leave [that I’m taking],” Gunasena told EconomyNext on Friday (22).

SPC Managing Director Lalith Jayakody had also handed his resignation to the authorities on Wednesday (20) saying that he will be leaving on November 15.

“Lalith will not stay if I am not there, because he’s also there on a voluntary basis because of our friendship,” Gunasena said.

Gunasena’s resignation is the latest in a series of top level departures from the bureaucracy.  Among these were Consumer Affairs Authority Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena, and Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Chairman Dr Jatal Mannapperuma.