India today said it will initiate legal action against Indian pharmaceutical companies that had been blacklisted by Sri Lanka for violating procedures and supplying sub-standard drugs.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok Kantha met Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena today to discuss the failure of some Indian companies in supplying medical drugs appropriately after obtaining tenders, that led to a drug shortage in local hospitals.
Kantha requested the minister to furnish information to the Indian government on the companies that had failed to deliver medicine in time and those that had supplied low quality drugs, health ministry officials said.
During the meeting Kantha assured the Sri Lankan government of all diplomatic assistance to address the issue.
He also promised Sirisena that New Delhi would take legal action against the firms who had been found wanting by the Sri Lankan government.
Sirisena had on March 29 said that at least a dozen Indian drug suppliers had been blacklisted by his ministry for violating procurement procedure and supplying sub standard drugs as the supply problems had led to a shortage of some urgently needed medicines.
Sirisena will also travel to New Delhi in May to meet his Indian counterpart Ghulam Nabi Azad to further the issue.
