Medical Mafia operated from 2015-19, #DataScam has roots therein - State Min.

COLOMBO (News 1st);

Professor Channa Jayasumana, the State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals told Parliament the because the 'Medical Mafia' cannot operate as they please at present, they may have attacked the NMRA database, adding that the 'Medical Mafia' became powerful from 2015 to 2019.

'The Criminal Investigations Department is investigating the #DataScam and will expose those responsible,' he told the house.

Elaborating on the #DataScam, the State Minister said the Information and Communication Technology Agency provided consultancy services and specifications for the eNMRA database as per an agreement reached between the NMRA & ICTA in June 2018.

Also in 2018, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority had selected Epic Lanka Technologies Private Limited to prepare this database and operate it as a service, said the State Minister.

On the 03rd of May 2018, the NMRA & Epic Lanka Technologies had signed an agreement for a five year period to prepare this database and to maintain it, he added noting that the agreement was signed by Former NMRA Chairman Professor Asita De Silva and CEO of Epic Lanka Technologies Tharinda Kalpage.

The State Minister told Parliament that the #DataScam had taken place due to neglectful operations of Epic Lanka Technologies and for its failure to maintain a backup system as per the agreement reached in 2018.

He further said the party that signed the agreement had acted in violation of it and noted that the missing data can only be recovered from a forensic recovery process.

He told Parliament that the missing files related to the list of medicines that were procured by the government at exorbitant prices from 2015 to 2019, a matter that was already being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Department.

"We told the CID investigate 35 specific medicines," he said, adding that these overly priced medicines cost billions to the state.

The files relating to this investigation were deleted after the inquiry commenced and we will take the necessary action against the perpetrators, he added.