India to take action against blacklisted pharma firms
April 11, 2011 04:25 pm
India today said it will initiate legal action against
Indian pharmaceutical companies that had been blacklisted by Sri Lanka for
violating procedures and supplying sub-standard drugs.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok Kantha met Health Minister
Maithripala Sirisena today to discuss the failure of some Indian companies in
supplying medical drugs appropriately after obtaining tenders, that led to a
drug shortage in local hospitals.
Kantha requested the minister to furnish information to the Indian government
on the companies that had failed to deliver medicine in time and those that had
supplied low quality drugs, health ministry officials said.
During the meeting Kantha assured the Sri Lankan government of all diplomatic
assistance to address the issue.
He also promised Sirisena that New Delhi would take legal action against the
firms who had been found wanting by the Sri Lankan government.
Sirisena had on March 29 said that at least a dozen Indian drug suppliers had
been blacklisted by his ministry for violating procurement procedure and
supplying sub standard drugs as the supply problems had led to a shortage of
some urgently needed medicines.
Sirisena will also travel to New Delhi in May to meet his Indian counterpart
Ghulam Nabi Azad to further the issue. (PTI)
