SJB hands missive to UN on health crisis

Wednesday, 23 August 2023 03:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday handed over a missive to the United Nations head office in Colombo intended for the UN Human Rights Council regarding the ongoing health service crisis in Sri Lanka.

The communique was handed over by SJB MPs Dr Kavinda Jayarwardena and Wasantha Yapa Bandara. The party has announced the duo will also participate in the 54th session of the Human Rights Council scheduled to commence on 11 September in Geneva to highlight the issues relating to health in Sri Lanka.

The party also handed over a no-confidence motion against the Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in July.

The motion was presented due to the purportedly reckless importation of ‘inferior’ medications and surgical equipment, which resulted in a compromised healthcare sector and even loss of lives. The SJB contends that the Government persisted in acquiring the said ‘substandard’ drugs bypassing the established procurement and registration procedures, citing an emergency situation. They claim that this decision led to multiple fatalities in prominent hospitals nationwide.