The Ministry of Health will await action by the Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) regarding the allegation about an incident where the institution's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is said to have destroyed some official documents, The Daily Morning learns.

Allegations have been levelled against NMRA’s CEO, Dr. Vijith Gunasekera, claiming that he had attempted to destroy some documents belonging to the NMRA. He has however denied the allegations.

The allegations come hot on the heels of controversial import of unregistered and substandard medicines, using forged documents by a local importer, with legal action ongoing. Several personnel of the local supplier have been arrested following a court order.

When The Daily Morning asked the Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Janaka Sri Chandraguptha as to whether the Ministry would inquire into the alleged incident regarding the documents, he said that it was the NMRA that should look into the matter. "It is something that has to be done by the NMRA. Its Chairman (Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama) will take appropriate actions in that regard." he opined.

Dr. Wijewickrama, who was newly appointed as the NMRA's Chairman, was not available for comment.

In the wake of Dr. Gunasekera having been prevented from functioning as NMRA's CEO, the Society of Government Pharmacists (SGP) had recently alleged that he had destroyed some documents belonging to the NMRA. They claimed that Gunasekera had allegedly entered the NMRA on 1 November, and destroyed some documents with the use of a paper cutter, and then placed them in bags.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning last week, Dr. Wijewickrama had said that he was not aware of who had attempted to do so, but some destroyed documents had been discovered in the garbage. He had also said that he had lodged a complaint regarding the incident with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).