Rs.500 Million Worth Expired And Low Quality Drug Containers Stored In Drug Stores At Ratmalana

Thirteen Containers loaded with expired and low quality drugs are currently stored at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation Stores Complex in Ratmalana of the Colombo District since few months it has been revealed.According to the Corpoartion sources the value of these drugs are estimated as more than Rs.500 million.

The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation sources said that the drug Salbutamole  which prescribed for Asthma Patients is among the drugs stored in those containers and even when this drug is manufactured by the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation(SPMC) the State Pharmaceuticals Company who are importing drugs to government hospitals refused to purchase the above drug from the SPMC by saying importing it from India is cheeper than buying the local product.However after importing the Salbutamole Drug from an Indian Company it has been proved that the drug is in low quality and only afterwards State Pharamaceuticals Corporation purchased the locally manufactured Salbutamole from the SPMC it has learned.

Meanwhile the Health Ministry sources said that the officials of the Special Investigations Unit of the Ministry visited and inspected the expired and low quality drug containers currently stored in the stores complex in Ratmalana few weeks back.