The outstanding Rs 23 billion due to pharmaceutical firms will be settled following President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s instructions, Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told the Sunday Observer, yesterday.
Minister Wanniarachchi said they would settle the outstanding payments to pharmaceutical suppliers before the forthcoming New Year.
She said , “The Treasury and the Ministry of Health are negotiating to settle the payment to the pharmaceutical companies to ensure a quality public health care service.”
The Rs.23 billion due to pharmaceutical companies had accrued during 2018 and 2019. Billions of rupees had not been paid to the pharmaceutical suppliers although it had a budgetary provision of Rs. 48 billion, according to Ministry sources.
Senior Vice President, Sri Lankan Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) Sanjiva Wijesekera said the heads of their Chamber with representatives of pharmaceutical importers on Friday met SPC Chairman Dr. Prasanna Gunasena at the SPC and they were happy that the problem was being resolved.