The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption is calling on the public to step forward with any information related to neurosurgical procedures conducted under the supervision of Dr. Maheshi Surasinghe Wijeratne at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital.
The Commission is investigating serious accusations involving the use of external ventricular drains (EVD) and ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt instruments allegedly obtained from third parties. These procedures are suspected to have caused harm to patients and led to large-scale financial losses.
So far, statements have been recorded from 77 patients, out of an estimated 300 individuals affected.
Dr. Surasinghe, along with hospital management assistant Kekulandala Liyanage Indika and private employee Nimal Ranjith, was arrested by the Bribery Commission and remanded until 24 June. The charges include selling medicines at inflated prices via a private medical institution and bypassing official government procurement channels.
According to the probe, in 2022, a single EVD item sourced through the hospital cost Rs. 17,500, while the current average market price is Rs. 46,500. Patients reportedly paid between Rs. 125,000 and Rs. 250,000 based on the doctor’s directives. The total estimated financial loss is nearing Rs. 30 million.
The Commission urges anyone with relevant information to contact them via the hotline 1954 or email ciaboc_gen@ciaboc.gov.lk.
Published by Business Ceylon