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National Drug Policy - Minister Maithripala Sirisena

The pharmaceutical drug trade is the second largest profit-making business in the world after the weapons trade, therefore the Health Ministry will be confronted with many challenges from private drug traders when it implements the National Drug Policy (NDP) in 2012, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

One of the prime objectives of the Health Ministry in 2012 would be to legalise NDP that will bring a huge transformation into the health service with the main focus on drug import, production and prescription. There will be a complete overhaul in this sector as all tenders related to importing of drugs will be scrutinised by a cabinet sub-committee, he said.

 The other priority of the health ministry in 2012 will be to introduce financial and administrative discipline to all sections and institutions under it in order to prevent corruption and mismanagement, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

He told the media that many people would be affected during the attempts to eradicate the corruption that has devoured much resources of the health ministry but added he was resolute in his stand. 

“I expect to implement a special programme to discourage tobacco and alcohol among the public as the Health Ministry spends a vast amount of funds to treat tobacco and alcohol induced non-communicable diseases in addition to road accidents due to drunk driving,” Minister Sirisena said.