The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) said that it functions without any shortcoming in performing its duties and responsibilities, as the vacancies in the NMRA’s upper management caused by the resignations of three Directors – attorney Manoj Gamage, Dr. Priyantha Serasinghe, and Supul Wijesinghe – have already been filled by the Health Ministry.
Earlier last month (April), NMRA Chairperson Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama told the media that there was a slight impact on the NMRA’s functions since the Ministry had not been able to take a final decision on filling the vacancies at that time.
In this context, when queried by The Daily Morning about the latest status of the NMRA’s Board of Directors, which plays a significant role in taking decisions, its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Saveen Semage, said yesterday (7) that the shortage of Directors in the upper management is almost addressed with the appointment of three new Directors. Per the law, NMRA Directors are appointed by the Health Minister.
“Earlier, three members of the Board of Directors, appointed by the former Health Minister (incumbent Government Parliamentarian Keheliya Rambukwella), resigned, leaving three positions vacant. Recently, the incumbent Health Minister (Dr. Ramesh Pathirana) appointed three new Directors. With those three new Directors, there is no shortage of officers in the upper management,” he said.
However, when questioned about the shortage of other officers, Dr. Semage said that measures are currently being taken to address the particular issue as well, according to the policy decisions that have been taken by the Government regarding new recruitments.
Three NMRA Directors resigned a few months ago, citing criticism levelled at the NMRA regarding the controversial human intravenous immunoglobulin deal and the irregularities allegedly committed by the current NMRA administration. Tendering his resignation to the Health Minister, Dr. Pathirana, Gamage claimed that Dr. Wijewickrama was unhappy about him (Gamage) as he (Gamage) had opposed him (Dr. Wijewickrama) when he (Dr. Wijewickrama) was purportedly attempting to reverse certain decisions that had been taken by the Board of Directors earlier.