Former Deputy Director of Health Services (supplies division), Herath Kumara has been arrested in connection to the importation of substandard stocks of Immune Globulin vaccines.
Herath Kumara was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today (Jan 05) and is expected to be produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.
He is the latest state official to be apprehended in connection to the importation of substandard stocks of Immune Globulin vaccines through which financial fraud of Rs. 130 million is reported to have occurred.
A probe was initially launched last year into allegations that a pharmaceutical company had imported 22,500 vials of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines by creating forged documents with the assistance of the two senior state officials.
CID investigations found that Sudath Janaka Fernando alias ‘Aruna Deepthi’ who owns the pharmaceutical company had imported the stock of substandard medicines.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Dr. Vijith Gunasekera and the Director of Supply at the Ministry of Health Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake were found to have assisted the importation by providing forged ministry documents.
The group was arrested and remanded, after which Former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta was also arrested over the matter.
In December 2023, the CID also recorded a statement from former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, after he had volunteered to provide a statement, on the importation which had occurred during his tenure as the Minister of Health. (NewsWire)