By Krishasn Jeewaka Jayaruk – Matara – Dailymirror
The patients who called over at the OPD unit of the Matara General Hospital were surprised to note that the name of a candidate of a major political party contesting the Southern Provincial Council election was printed on the packets of drugs issued to them at the hospital.
Matara police said they had initiated an inquiry in this regard on a complaint made by the JVP Pradeshiya Sabha Member Charles Nandana saying that it was a violation of the election laws.
Police had recovered a large stock of packets printed with the name, preferencial number, and the symbol of a major political party in the government.
Meanwhile, a group of individuals were busy with collecting the packets already issued to the patients.
A senior official of the hospital said that arrangements had been made to distribute 50,000 packets.
The doctor’s instructions on the usage of the drugs appeared on the reverse of the packet. Meanwhile, the candidate concerned said that he had supplied a stock of packets on the request of the hospital administration to avoid the prevailing shortage.
“It was only a donation from me. The hospital authorities took over the stock of packets after examining them.
However, this created an issue compelling me to instruct the hospital administration to return them to be distributed among the private pharmacies,” he said.
The Administration Officer of the hospital M.P.K. Karunaratne said: “A politician volunteered to donate a stock of empty packets but we did not accept the donation.
However, a large number of packets had infiltrated into the hospital. It was an act of sabotage.
The officials were not involved in this,” Deputy Director of Matara Base Hospital Dr. Priyantha Jeewaratne said and he had immediately removed them and initiated an inquiry into the incident.
HQI Matara police Saman Jayasekara and SP Prematilleka Hettiarachchi were conducting inquiries on the instructions of SSP, Matara Ranjith Padmasiri.