Seneka Bibile
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2020) |
Seneka Bibile | |
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Born | Seneka Bibile. 13 February 1920 Kataluwa Walawwa, Kataluwa, national pharmaceuticals policy |
Senaka Bibile (
Biography
Senaka Bibile was born at Kataluwa Walawwa. His father was Charles William Bibile, a
Education
He received his primary and secondary education at
Academic career
He joined the University of Ceylon in 1947. In 1947–49 he led a research team of doctors under the guidance of Professor Cullumbine, Professor of Physiology. In 1958 he was selected as the first Professor of Pharmacology and became the head of a new department. He was the first dean of the faculty of medicine at the University of Peradeniya from 1967 to 1977. There he started the first medical education unit in Sri Lanka.
Pharmaceutical policy
He is best known for his advocacy of the government-controlled pharmaceutical purchasing plans often referred to as "rationalisation" of
A careful selection of drugs was an essential component of the policies he advocated. He was called up by the Minister of Health to address this and prepared the
At the time, it was alleged and widely believed that
Accordingly, in 1971 Hon. T.B. Subasinghe, the Cabinet Minister of Industries, appointed him founder chairman of the Sri Lanka State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC). The SPC channelled all imports of pharmaceuticals, calling for worldwide bulk tenders which were limited to the approved drugs listed in the national formulary. The public and private health sectors obtained all their requirements from the SPC. Hence the drug trade was regulated by this body and vendors were forced to compete with each other and with generic drug producers on a cost basis only. This program is generally perceived to have resulted in a cheaper drug supply for poor countries.
This policy was supported by WHO and other UN agencies with enormous benefit to Third World countries. The UNCTAD Secretariat examined the Sri Lankan experience, concluding that an analysis of the Sri Lankan model could give other developing countries an insight into ways of formulating, developing and implementing integrated national pharmaceutical policies. With Bibile's assistance, it published "Case Studies in the Transfer of Technology: Pharmaceutical Policies in Sri Lanka".[3] This document has proved to be a very valuable guideline for developing countries intending to initiate pharmaceutical reforms. Translated into other languages, it may be found with health planners of almost every Third World country.
Although his policy was watered down by the United National Party Government of 1977, which re-opened the doors to unrestricted imports, the SPC was never dissolved and continued to supply affordable drugs. In 2005 the United People's Freedom Alliance Government promised to establish a National Medicinal Drugs Policy (NMPD) that would enable Sri Lankans significantly to cut down on drug expenses and get quality drugs at affordable prices while saving billions of rupees in foreign exchange for the country. Implementation of the NMDP could reduce the number of drugs imported, prescribed and sold in Sri Lanka to about 350 varieties.
Bibile's contribution to development in the area of drugs was acknowledged publicly during the 35th World Health Assembly, in Geneva in May 1982.
It is widely regarded in his home country of Sri Lanka that the threat he posed to the powerful drugs Multi-nationals may have had some bearing on his premature and mysterious death in 1977 while on a UN assignment in Guyana to introduce these policies there.[4]
See Wikileaks information on Dr Bibile's drug policy and the United States [5]
Politics
He was a
In the mid-1950s, he, together with
Publications
Dr Bibile has over 45 publications, including:
- Bibile, S, and Lall, S, 'The Political Economy of Controlling Transnationals: The Pharmaceutical Industry in Sri Lanka (1972–76)', World Development, August 1977.
Oration
An oration is held every year in commemoration of Senaka Bibile, under the auspices of the Kandy Society of Medicine.
References
- ^ Will his drugs legacy survive the new tendencies in the industry ?
- )
- ^ "Vi. Issues Related to Technological Capacity-Building". Archived from the original on 23 December 2004. Retrieved 28 November 2005.
- ^ http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/EditorialReviews/erev200106/20010614editorialreview.html[permanent dead link]
- ^ "WikiLeaks: Americans Sabotage Senaka Bibile's "Pharmaceutical Policy"". 13 February 2016.
Sources
- Prof. Carlo Fonseka, 'How many doctors remember the wonderful work of Bibile?', Daily Mirror Online, 4 October 2002
- Prof. Tissa Vitarana, The Sri Lankan who challenged global giants
- Dr. K Balasubramaniam, The neglected solution
- Include Medicinal Drugs Policy in Polls Manifesto
External links
- State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka
- 'Breakthrough – and Bibile lives again, LankaNewspapers.Com
- 'National Medicinal Drug Policy', Weekly Epidemiological Report, Vol 32 No 41, 08 – 14[permanent dead link]
- 'Who was Senaka Bibile, LankaNewspapers.Com, October 2005 (PDF)
- 33rd commemoration day of Prof. Senaka Bibile