Keheliya arrested by CID over immunoglobulin scandal

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By Editor_1
Former minister of health Keheliya Rambukwella was arrested by officers of the Criminal Investigations Department on February 2, 2024, over the controversial procurement of a consignment of substandard intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) when he was Minister of Health -File

COLOMBO – Minister of Environment Keheliya Rambukwella was arrested by officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Friday (2), over the controversial procurement of a consignment of substandard intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) when he was Minister of Health.

Rambukwella, who arrived at the CID in Colombo on Friday morning, complying with a Court Order issued a day earlier, was arrested after nearly 10 hours of interrogation.

The Maligakanda Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrema on Thursday (Feb 1) impounded Rambukwella’s passport and ordered him to report to the CID on Friday, to provide a statement about the controversial procurement of the IVIG consignment last year.

The arrest comes amidst mounting pressure from civil society activists and health sector trade unionists for Rambukwella’s arrest.

Earlier on Wednesday (January 31) the Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Saman Ratnakaye was interrogated by the CID officers for nearly 10 hours over the same issue.

The investigations and arrest follow the October 2023 revelation by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) that forged documents were found to have been submitted for Customs clearance to procure a batch of vials containing human immunoglobulin, which had later failed the quality tests. Human immunoglobulin is an antibody produced by blood plasma cells,

The product, which was said to have been manufactured by Livealth Biopharma Pvt Ltd. India, was imported by a local medicine supplier called Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Pvt) Ltd. However, the India-based manufacturer denied having a hand in the fraudulent activity and communicated to the NMRA that it has neither manufactured, supplied nor exported the products to any party.

It was also found that funds amounting to Rs 130 million were misappropriated through the unlawful procurement of 22,500 vials of IVIG.

Seven suspects including former Secretary to the Ministry of Health Janaka Chandragupta were later arrested in connection with the fraudulent procurement.

In September last year a no-confidence motion against Ramabukwella for allegedly failing to secure enough essential drugs and laboratory equipment that some say resulted in preventable deaths in hospitals was defeated in Parliament by the ruling coalition. However, as the immunoglobulin scam came to light, Rambukwella was removed as Minister of Health and given the portfolio of Minister of Environment.

–ENCL

 

Editor_1
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