Bellana Seeks To Bleed NBTS Through Tender To Sell Excess Plasma

JUNE 28, 2018

Dr Rukshan Bellana, quasi administrator of the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS), known as a frontman for the brother of Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has been accused of a tender fraud in the form of influencing, manipulating and delaying a tender for the benefit of a drug company from which he is allegedly receiving monies as bribes.

Dr Rukshan Bellana

It is revealed that although the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) had recommended that a tender for the sale of excess plasma be offered to the highest bidder (ABC Pharma) from among eligible bidders to ensure that the highest income is brought to the country, Bellana has tried to prevail on the members of the TEC to award it to DGH Medical Group, effectively causing a loss of Rs 47 million to the government.

ABC Pharma had offered Rs 5600.00 per litre of plasma whereas DGH Medical Group has offered only Rs 4535.00.

Price comparison

After the TEC declined to accede to Bellana’s request, he had received a letter purporting to have been written by a blood donor protesting the TEC decision. The letter is dated June 22, 2018 and has been received on the same day as per the date-stamp and this despite the strike that has crippled the postal service of the entire country. Bellana has since referred the letter to the Sri Lanka College of Transfusion Specialists, possibly to stir up a controversy and push the Tender Board to recall the tender.

Donor complaint

Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that ABC pharma which has learned about the violation of the Procurement Guidelines by Bellana has made their representations to Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Health.

Colombo Telegraph earlier exposed the voice recordings where Bellana clearly states that the minister’s brother has discussed the purchase with his and that Dr Anil Jasinghe (Director General Health Services), Dr. Hemantha Beneragama (Deputy Director General , Laboratory Services) and Janaka Chandragupta (Additional Secretary Development) have all briefed him about the ministerial sibling’s interest in the purchase.

Speaking to Colombo Telegraph on Tuesday, Dr Bellana acknowledged the authenticity of the voice recordings published by Colombo Telegraph. He further said he was victimised because his speech against President Maithripala Sirisena where he said that the former Health Minister (Maithripala Sirisena) was corrupt. When asked whether he had evidence to say the President as the then Health Minster was corrupt, he said “yes”. He agreed to provide the evidence to Colombo Telegraph. He also said he would give his side of the story, but so far he’s failed to do so.

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