The Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association has requested the Ministry of Health to stop the system of supplying drugs produced by local pharmaceutical manufacturers to the medical supply sector by the State Pharmaceuticals Legal Corporation.
According to the president of the association, Kalena Hewa Mallika, it is possible to save five hundred million rupees annually by directly purchasing fifteen medicines produced by local manufacturers.
The Union has informed the Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella about this. Among these are medicines used for many diseases such as high blood pressure, diarrhea, stomach problems, colds etc.
The Union has also given the Ministry of Health the prices at which it can provide these drugs compared to the dollar’s decline.
The manufacturers have to pay a commission of six percent for the purchase of domestically produced drugs by the drug legal corporation. Because of this, the Ministry of Health has to pay more money when purchasing drugs.