Urgently needed cancer drug order cancelled abruptly – GMOF

Drug order cancellation result of clashes among official mafias – CMLS

The government had suddenly cancelled a tender for importing 50 cancer drugs, Chairman of the Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) Rukshan Bellana said on Friday, addressing the media in Colombo.

The decision would aggravate the shortage of cancer drugs in hospitals, he said.

“Because there was a shortage, the Ministry of Health called tenders to purchase 50 cancer drugs urgently.

The Minister and Director General of health services had approved it. However, on Thursday the tender was cancelled in front of representatives from 30 companies,” he said.

“People suffer because there is a serious shortage of drugs,” he added.

President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS), Ravi Kumudesh, told The Island yesterday that the tender announced by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) was abruptly cancelled due to the objections of some officials of the Health Ministry.

In recent months, a number of tenders were announced and were later cancelled due to a tussle among officials, he said.

“I am not saying that the cancelled tender was perfect. However, those who objected may not have done so with the best of intentions.”

Kumudesh said that those who control the granting of tenders have the chance to greatly enrich themselves.

“There is a big tug of war between factions of officials to show pharmaceutical companies that they call the shots when it comes to tenders. Ultimately, it’s the people that suffer.”