Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva warned he would interdict those responsible for the death of Asanthi Wathsala of Wariyapola, following the administration of the rubella vaccine. He stressed that several consultants, medical officers and health workers – some belonging to the Wariyapola MOH office and the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, had called him to inform that the thirteen-year-olds’ life could have been saved if timely measures had been taken by the MOH office and Hospital.

A spokesman for the Health Ministry said yesterday (25) that the Minister had been critical of the inability of doctors, who were present at the hospital and the MOH office at the time, to take timely action to save the child’s life. Minister De Silva, who held a meeting with Ministry officials and heads of institutions functioning under the Ministry, urged the Investigations Unit of the Ministry and the National Drug Authority to hand over its report tomorrow (27). Stringent action will be taken if those responsible are found guilty of medical negligence.

He said that they were welcome to account for their actions during the inquiry which would be held after interdiction. The Teaching Hospital has been provided with all resources including the emergency medical tray which included adrenaline.

The Minister stressed that he would go all out to see that the deceased child and her parents would be given justice.

Meanwhile, the Minister also ordered the black listing of Belco Phama, the Indian Drug company after two more substandard drugs were discovered – Cloxacillin and Cefuroxine. The spokesman said that the Minister had also issued instruction to the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to recall several other substandard drugs and to blacklist them for two years without holding an inquiry. The cost of the drugs would also be reimbursed by the companies in question, the spokesman said.