Four senior Health officials held over substandard immunoglobulin import

Four senior officials attached to the Health Ministry including the Director of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Kapila Wickremenayake were taken into custody by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today over the alleged importation of substandard Immunoglobulin vials into the country.

Along with MSD Director Wickremenayake, Assistant Director Devashantha Soloman, Accountant (Supplies) Neran Dhananjaya and the Stock Controller of the Medical Supplies Division Sujith Kumara were arrested over the incident. 

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that the Health Ministry has started gathering details of all patients who were treated with the counterfeit Rituximab 500mg injection sold to the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) by Isolez Biotech Pharma AG, the company that sold fake human immunoglobulin to the government.

Meanwhile, medical laboratories have not yet revealed what was contained in the immunoglobulin vials administered to patients. Isolez owner Hewage Sudath Janaka Fernando was arrested and is in remand. He reportedly told the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that his company manufactured the immunoglobulin locally with plasma from the National Blood Transfusion Service (NTBS). This is despite stating in documents submitted to—and endorsed by—the Health Ministry that the raw materials would be imported from India.

No action has been taken against health officials who made the payments to the company either for the immunoglobulin or the Ritumaxib (the name of the third medication has not been revealed). It remains unclear whether the Indian Credit Line was used for the purchases, as indicated in a letter written in October last year by Health Secretary Janaka Sri Indraguptha regarding immunoglobulin.