Medical Supplies Division And Health Ministry To Destroy Expired And Low Quality Drugs

The Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and the Ministry Of Health have  jointly decided to destroy the Rupees Millions worth quality failed and expired drugs/surgical/Surgical Equipment stored in  MSD Stores since few years .According to the MSD sources around 300,000 "Pethidine" Injections Vials which were expired on 2009  and Hypodermic 19G,24 G and 25 G needles are among the Drugs/Surgical items due to destroy the MSD Sources revealed.

Although the MSD and the Health Ministry has decided to destroy the said expired and low quality drugs no supplier neither an official were punished for importing low quality drugs according to the sources.One Fifth of the space in MSD Stores have been  occupied by these low quality and expired drugs according to the MSD

OPD And Clinics Attached To Ambilipitiya Hospital Shut Down Due To The Shortage Of Minor Staff

The Out Door Patients Department (OPD) and the Clinics attached to  the Ambilipitiya Base Hospital in Sabaragamuwa Province are closed since this Tuesday (09th) due to the severe shortage of Minor Staff in these Departments.Due to this situation around 20,000 registered patients of the Hospital OPD Clinics and around 1000 patients who are getting OPD Treatment faced severe hardships Hospital Sources said.

There is a shortage of over 60  minor staff personal at the Hospital OPD the sources have revealed.

After several requests made by the Hospital Staff and the Trade Unions the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Health Ministry has sent 12 new minor staff members to the Ambilipitiya Hospital yesterday but the hospital authorities said this amount is not sufficient.Meanwhile the Hospital Staff of the Ambilipitiya Hospital staged a protest in front of the hospital this noon urging the authorities to re open the OPD and the Clinics after overcome the shortage of minor staff.

Sri Lankan Medal Winning Weight Lifter Chintana Vidanage Banned For Four Years

Sri Lankan Weight Lifter Chinthana Vidanage who was also a Commonwealth Gold Medalist has been banned for four years by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for using banned substances according to the Sri Lanka Wight Lifting Federation (SLWF) sources.This Ban will effect from 13 of May 2011 the sources have confirmed.

Chintana was found positive for the banned substance "Methylhexaneamine" During the recently concluded Asian Championships.He won a  Gold Medal in 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Australia from the 63 KG Category and became Sri Lanka's First Gold Medal Winner in Weightlifting .

Vacant Administrative Posts Of The Health Minsitry And Hospitals Created Chaos In Health Administration

Due to the vacancies of around 20 Administrative Posts attached to the Ministry Of Health and affiliated Institutions the Administration of the Health Sector has become stand still according to the Health Trade Union Alliance(HSTUA).c

The President of the HSTUA Mr.Saman Ratnapriya has said that 12 Administrative Posts both Medical and Non Medical and 8 Hospital Director Posts are among these 20 vacant administrative posts.Even the Ministry Of Health has informed the Secretary of  Ministry Of Public Administration to  fill these vacancies but still not received a reasonable response in this regard he stressed.

The Director Posts of the Colombo National,Lady Ridgway,Castle Street   Maternity,Karapitiya,Galle,Kegalle,Kandy and Badulla are vacant since some time back according to the HSTUA.

Government Medical Officers Association Condemned The Health Authorities Failure To Take Action Against Errant Suppliers

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has today claimed that the Health Ministry should have revealed the details to the Public  on whether the Ministry has  taken any action  against the errant Health Ministry/State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) Officers and the Suppliers of low quality Medicines worth Millions of Sri Lankan Rupees Imported for the Government  Hospitals.

Health Authorities are spending huge amount of money more than the allocated money to buy medicines of low quality GMOA has said.Although the Medical Supplies Division storing these low quality Drugs and Surgical s removed from the Hospitals in their stores still the authorities have failed to destroy these low quality Drugs and Surgical s or taken action against the errant suppliers according to the GMOA Spokesman.

Lasith Malinga And Upul Tharanga Recalled For The Sri Lankan One Day Sqaud

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has said today that the Sri Lanka's leading fast bowler Lasith Malinga and the Opening Batsman Upul Tharanga who was suspended for taking a banned substance during the ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament have been included for the Sri Lankan National One Day Squad for the ODI Series against the visiting Australians.

Both Players missed the concluded two 20 over matches held in Pallekale Stadium between Sri Lanka and Australia.

The First One Day International between Sri Lanka and Australia is scheduled to be conducted tomorrow (10) at Pallekale International Cricket Stadium of  Kandy District.

Speaker Was Facilitated In Parliament Today

The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksha was facilitated in Parliament today on his appointment as  Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association .

Meanwhile Government hands over a letter to the Speaker  requesting to setup a Parliamentary Select Committee to Draft a Political Solution to the National Issue.