Parliamentary committee to decide on no-confidence motion debate against Health Minister

The Parliamentary Business Committee, at its next meeting, will be taking a decision on the debate on the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

According to parliament sources, the committee is scheduled to meet at 10.30 a.m. on Friday (Aug. 11).

Hence, this week’s parliamentary proceedings will be held as scheduled.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, during his special address delivered in the parliament on Wednesday (Aug, 09), urged the opposition to bring forth the no-confidence motion against the Health Minister without delay.

The motion of no confidence against the Health Minister was handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena by main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara and MP Kavinda Jayawardena on July 21, with the signatures of 45 MPs.

The motion was moved over the alleged irresponsible importation of ‘substandard’ medicines and surgical equipment which led to a weakened health sector and even deaths.

The main opposition alleges that the government continued to bring in the relevant ‘substandard’ drugs outside of the procurement and registration process considering it to be a state of emergency, and that the move resulted in several deaths at major hospitals across the country.