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JVP alleges huge frauds in CT scanners, dialysis machines
View(s):In one of the worst ever cases of the current pandemic of corruption, the JVP has alleged that as much as Rs. 970 million has been defrauded from the money given to buy CT scanners and dialysis machines for the treatment of kidney patients.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s Voice Against Corruption Unit in petitions to the Commission probing allegations of bribery and corruption has charged that most of the money defrauded was part of the funds donated by the Japanese government. The unit’s convenor Wasantha Samarasinghe, an active member of the Western Provincial Council, told the Sunday Times Japan had given Rs. 770 million to the Health Ministry to buy equipment for the treatment of the growing number of kidney patients, mainly in the North Central Province.He said the unit had submitted documents, figures and other details to show that only six CT scanners and 55 dialysis machines to the value of about Rs. 300 million had been bought. What happened to the balance of Rs. 470 million is a mystery but it is apparent that most of it must have gone into the pockets of top officials or politicians in what is seen as an act of deceitful and desperate wickedness against suffering patients.
Mr. Samarasinghe in the petitions to the Commission also charged that as much as Rs. 500 million had been defrauded from the money given to the Central Province’s Health Ministry to buy CT scanners and dialysis machines for kidney patients. What happened to this huge amount is also a mystery but the JVP alleged that an assistant director of Health Services had bought this equipment through a company connected to him.
Adding to the mystery was the company address. It was the address of a building belonging to a former provincial health minister. Mr. Samarasinghe said it appeared that the Commission itself was not only overloaded with cases but was also powerless to act because of political interference and influence as was the case with the police and the judicial service.
Whatever the culture of impunity and the breakdown in the rule of law, Mr. Samarasinghe warned that if the Commission did not act immediately, the party would get thousands of people to surround the Commission’s offices, demanding action against the culprits who had plundered money donated for the health of the people.
This alleged plunder of money given to the health sector comes amidst charges that transnational drugs corporations or pharma mafias were blocking the implementation of the National Medicinal Drugs Policy based on Prof. Senaka Bibile’s essential medicine concept.
A spokesman for the People’s Movement for the Rights of Patients (PMRP) said the implementation of this policy had been delayed for as many as nine years since the Cabinet approved it in October 2005. Last week, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena addressing a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka said that it appeared that the so-called ‘Balagiri Doshaya’ or (tomorrow not today) had afflicted the NMDP. The Minister claimed that though he had tried his best since he took over this portfolio, there were powerful forces blocking it. However, he said he was trying his best to present legislation before end of this year.
The PMRP spokesman said that with so many broken promise since 2005, health action groups would believe the promises only when they saw comprehensive and effective legislation unlike the bogus Bibile Policy Bill which was drafted and presented to the President in March this year.
Health Ministry officials were not available for comment.