I know what hope looks like hanging from an IV drip. I’ve held my mother’s trembling hand during chemotherapy, watched a sister slip away despite every effort, and seen my aunt fight battles medicine couldn’t win. Through all that pain, we clung to one fragile faith, that the medicine was real. That someone, somewhere, was trying to heal, not harm. But that faith has been shattered for thousands of Sri Lankan families today.
What Is Human Immunoglobulin (IVIG)?
Human Immunoglobulin, or IVIG, is liquid hope for people whose immune systems are failing. Made from the donated plasma of thousands of healthy people, it contains concentrated antibodies that can literally mean the difference between life and death for:
- Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy whose immune systems are destroyed
- Transplant recipients who need immune suppression to prevent organ rejection
- Children with primary immunodeficiency diseases who can’t fight off basic infections
- Patients with autoimmune disorders where their own immune system attacks their body
- People with Guillain-Barré syndrome facing paralysis
- Kawasaki disease patients at risk of heart complications
A single vial costs between $100-300 internationally. The manufacturing process is incredibly complex, requiring multiple safety protocols to remove HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other deadly pathogens. It’s literally made from human blood, which means contamination can kill.
What Is Rituximab?
Rituximab is a life-saving drug used to treat certain types of cancer, especially Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and CD20-positive lymphomas. It’s part of the R-CHOP chemotherapy protocol, which is often a patient’s best shot at survival.
The drug works by targeting cancerous white blood cells. It must be carefully manufactured and stored, any compromise in quality can mean the treatment fails entirely.
For cancer patients, a fake vial isn’t just ineffective, it’s deadly.
The Timeline of Terror
December 2022: The Health Ministry initiated an emergency tender for IVIG worth Rs. 942 million, bypassing cabinet oversight by claiming it was funded through an Indian loan.
Early 2023: Over 8,000 vials of fake IVIG were distributed to state hospitals across Sri Lanka, including Colombo National Hospital, Matale District General Hospital, and other major state facilities.
August 22, 2023: Allergic reactions were reported after the drug was administered to several patients at Colombo National Hospital.
September 16, 2023: More reactions reported at Matale District General Hospital.
October 2023: Investigations confirmed the IVIG was fake, contaminated, and dangerous.
What the Victims Received
Laboratory analysis from Germany and court testimony revealed the fake IVIG vials contained:
- Bacterial-contaminated water that could cause sepsis
- Salt water with no therapeutic value
- No actual immunoglobulin antibodies
- Potential HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C contamination (still being investigated)
- Unknown toxic substances from unregulated local production
But this scandal wasn’t just about IVIG. Other critical drugs were compromised too. One of them was Rituximab*, a life-saving cancer drug used for lymphoma treatment.
I spoke to a daughter who lost her father to cancer. In her own words, she said:
“My dad had Lymphoma CD20. He went through four sessions of chemotherapy before passing away. Rituximab for lymphoma. He got the treatment end of 2022, November. And I came to know that the scam happened around this time.”
“He got very weak after the chemotherapy. He couldn’t walk after starting treatment. I was pulling his files yesterday to check how many times he was given R-CHOP. There’s a lot to go through. He was given Rituximab, and to know that those vials might have been fake, I’m shaking.”
“How will I tell my mom that dad might have not received the drug to fight cancer…?”
That question keeps ringing in my head.
The Human Cost
- Over 8,000 vials administered
- Anaphylactic reactions at multiple hospitals
- Unknown number of infections from bacterial contamination
- Potential HIV/Hepatitis exposure for thousands
- Undisclosed death toll (unofficially, media reports link at least 4-5 deaths)
- Psychological trauma for patients and families
- No list. No warnings. No outreach.
The Anatomy of the Crime
This scandal didn’t happen in isolation. It was enabled, start to finish, by a broken system and orchestrated by those in power. Let’s trace it back. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary emergency procurement process was introduced to fast-track drug imports. But that system, meant to be temporary, was extended and abused. By mid-2022, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella pushed Cabinet to allow unsolicited drug proposals, claiming severe shortages and pressing for emergency imports under Indian credit lines.
Behind the scenes, a special procurement pathway was created under his watch. It eliminated the need for technical evaluations, competitive bidding, and quality assurance. This pathway opened the floodgates for overpriced, poor-quality, and in some cases, fake medication, including the IVIG and cancer drug rituximab.
Crucially, many purchases, including rituximab, were approved by the Health Sector Emergency Procurement Committee (HSEPC), led by former Health Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, without informing the Cabinet. Despite warnings from President Ranil Wickremesinghe (then also the Finance Minister) that this approach could lead to abuse, the ministry proceeded. Documents show that even the so-called Indian-supplied medications were not paid for through the Indian credit line. Some weren’t even from India.
The HSEPC and NMRA ignored protocols. Subject specialists were sidelined. Experts were not consulted. There was no real scrutiny.
The Political Crime Scene
This wasn’t incompetence. It was deliberate.
Keheliya Rambukwella – Former Health Minister
- Approved tenders without oversight
- Traveled to India and promoted blacklisted suppliers
- Currently out on bail after being remanded for authorizing purchases with forged documentation
Dr. Vijith Gunasekara – Ex-NMRA CEO
- Approved fake drug certifications
- Allegedly destroyed documents to hide the trail
Janaka Sri Chandragupta – Health Secretary
- Signed procurement authorizations for IVIG and other drugs
- Headed the HSEPC that bypassed regulations
Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake – Senior Health Ministry Official
- Greenlit suspicious drug tenders
- Ignored missing quality assurance
Sugath Janaka Fernando (alias Arunadeepthi) – Alleged mastermind
- Operated Isolez Biotech Pharma AG, the fake supplier
- Forged documents using names of Indian firms that denied involvement
The Systematic Fraud
Fake Tender Process
Rs. 40 million paid upfront for drugs with no verified source
Forged Documentation
Certificates falsely claimed ties to Indian manufacturers who had no knowledge of the deals
Bypassed Oversight
Used Indian credit line as a pretext to dodge Cabinet approval
No Medical Experts Involved
Procurement decisions made without qualified technical evaluation
Local Production Scam
Used Sri Lankan National Blood Transfusion Service plasma under a false “research” claim to produce contaminated vials
Current Legal Status (June 2025)
While several arrests have been made, including key Health Ministry officials, no convictions have occurred. The Attorney General has promised indictments, but no dates are given.
Public health officials continue to downplay the risks. Meanwhile, another Rs. 59 million procurement for 120,000 IVIG vials is already underway, with quality guidelines that were blatantly ignored before.
What We Demand Right Now
IMMEDIATE TRANSPARENCY
- Publish full list of affected hospitals and batch numbers
- Disclose how many patients were exposed
- Confirm how many died
COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SCREENING
- Free and urgent testing for HIV, Hep B & C
- Long-term monitoring
VICTIM COMPENSATION
- Establish a patient fund
- Cover all medical costs
- Support bereaved families
CRIMINAL ACCOUNTABILITY
- Fast-track indictments
- Seize assets of the guilty
- Bar them from public office forever
- Prosecute fake pharmaceutical operators
SYSTEMIC REFORM
- Audit all medical procurements from 2020-2025
- Involve real medical experts
- Make drug tenders public and transparent
- Create an independent watchdog body
REGULATORY OVERHAUL
- Clean out the NMRA
- Enforce strict testing protocols
- Make all approval documents public
- Work with global pharmaceutical regulators
The Rage
Families are digging through discharge papers and prescriptions, terrified their loved ones were victims. Some died without knowing the drug that was supposed to save them might have poisoned them instead.
There is no closure. No accountability. Just a loud silence from a government that gambled with lives.
- Who signed off on these purchases knowing the drugs were unverified?
- Why were standard safety checks bypassed, and who allowed it?
- Which hospitals received these vials, and how many patients were injected?
- Why has the government still not released a full list of affected batches?
- How many died as a result, and why is no one talking about it?
- Where is the compensation for the families left with loss, trauma, and questions?
- Why hasn’t a single person been convicted?
- How is the government going to rebuild trust among cancer patients and families to continue treatments moving forward?
We’re not asking for miracles. We’re demanding answers.
