eNMRA #DataScam : ICTA & Moratuwa Uni to recover files that mysteriously disappeared

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Information and Communication Technology Agency or ICTA will obtain assistance from the University of Moratuwa to initiate a recovery process following the mysterious disappearance of files from the Lanka Government Cloud.

These while were uploaded via the online portal of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority knowns as the eNMRA.

Commenting on what is now dubbed as the #DataScam, Dr. Rasitha Wijewantha, the chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority said tech giant Epic Technology Group, which was awarded the contract to streamline its operations and services had assured the missing files can be recovered.

'They have requested assistance to recover the files from the Lanka Government Cloud,' he told News 1st.

The NMRA Chairman said until that process is complete, manual entries will be carried out and the general public should not have any fear of a shortage in essential medicinal drugs.

The President of the Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh alleged the #DataScam is similar to the #BondScam and investigations must reveal what files went missing and who were they passed on to.

Former JVP Parliamentarian and Former Chairman of COPE, Sunil Handunnetti said the disappearance of files from eNMRA is a threat to National Security.

The breach may have taken place on the instructions of the medicinal drug mafia in Sri Lanka, he said.

Opposition Lawmaker from the Samagi Jana Balavegaya Nalin Bandara said State Minister (Professor) Channa Jayasumana must inform the Parliament as to what happened with the NMRA files stored in the Lanka Government Cloud.

The loss of this system opens the doors for the medicinal drug mafia to do whatever they want, he warned.

Trade Union Leader Dr. Gishantha Dassanayake alleged the CID is yet to question anyone from Epic Lanka or t Epic Technology Group.

'Is this is not an all-important data file system? Is that why there is no interest in this?' he questioned.

The events have been dubbed as the #DataScam in Sri Lanka where Terabytes of information attached by various companies over the new registrations or renewals of expiring registrations of medicinal drugs have gone missing.

Serious concerns have been raised as to who managed to enter the LGC which hosts information related to national security as well.

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), plays a key role in certifying and regulating medicines, medical devices, borderline products, clinical trials, and cosmetics.

Activists say they are baffled as to how these files disappeared from what is believed to be a secure cloud.

All stakeholders involved have conceded that key data belonging to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority submitted via the eNMRA portal have gone missing.