Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on Thursday told Parliament that incidents pertaining to the purchase of some medicines without following tender procedures, had been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department.

There had been allegations that 670 units of Streptokinase injections were purchased at the rate of Rs. 5000/- per unit in 2005 and 1,650 units of spinal needles were purchased in 2003 without following tender procedures. Both these issues were being probed by the CID, the minister said.

Minister de Silva was answering a question raised by JVP Matara District MP Premasiri Manage.

The Health Minister does not order medicine, he said. The specialist doctors make orders and the Ministry purchase them for hospitals, the Minister Silva said. (SI)