TISL challenges the decision of the Ministry of Health to procure medicinal supplies from unregistered suppliers

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court challenging the moves by the Ministry of Health to procure medical supplies from unregistered private suppliers through direct contracting and unsolicited bids.

The TISL and its Executive Director Ashala Nadishani Perera filed this petition seeking an order preventing the Cabinet of Ministers and other officials from making any payments to Savorite Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited and Kausikh Therapeutics (P) Limited in respect of

the purported procurement of any medicinal supplies.

The petitioners stated that the Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella, has sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to utilize the Indian Credit Line and other unspecified means of funding to maintain an uninterrupted supply of medicine, with the purported view to preventing acute shortages of medical supplies in government health institutions in Sri Lanka.

The petitioners further said that the Minister of Health has on two occasions proposed the names of Savorite Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited and Kausikh Therapeutics Ltd. as identified suppliers from whom the procurement and importation of medical supplies would be made to Sri Lanka with respect to certain medicines. The names of the said private entities have been proposed to the Cabinet of Ministers by the Minister of Health for the relevant procurements, despite the said private entities not having the required registrations with the NMRA and the complete absence of a competitive procurement process.