Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health Saman Ratnayake was arrested on Friday evening (March 01) by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over substandard human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) procurement.

The arrest came hours after Dr. Ratnayake arrived at the CID premises to provide a statement.

Prior to the apprehension of Dr. Ratnayake, 8 arrests had been made in connection with the drug procurement scam. But the fifth accused was later released on bail.

As such, 7 suspects former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, the former Health Secretary, the Director of the Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and three other officials of the same division, as well as the owner of the company, which is said to have supplied the substandard batch of immunoglobulin vials, now remain in custody on remand.

They were produced before the court on Thursday (Feb.29) and further remanded until March 14 on the orders of the Maligakanda Magistrate.

The CID arrested Rambukwella on February 02 in connection with the substandard medicines procurement scandal, where he arrived at the premises to record a statement.

His arrest came hot on the heels of pressure from civil society activists and health sector trade unionists, who called for the immediate apprehension of the lawmaker.

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

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 has denied having a hand in this fraudulent activity and communicated to the NMRA that it has neither manufactured, supplied nor exported these products to any party.

Reportedly, funds to the tune of Rs. 144 million have been misappropriated through the unlawful procurement of 22,500 vials of IVIG.

After the scandal came to light, Rambukwella was given the portfolio of Environment Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle in October last year. Accordingly, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana was appointed as the Health Minister in addition to his current portfolio as Minister of Industries.

Soon after Rambukwella’s arrest, a special gazette notification was published, confirming his resignation as the Environment Minister.