Sri Lanka, Oct. 22 -- We will not allow any substandard drug to be imported into the country as long as the NPP Government is in power, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said in Parliament yesterday.

He said quality medicines will be provided to the public at reasonable prices.

The Minister stated that the number of files applying for registration at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), which was 2,100 when the current Government came to power, has now been reduced to 24, and the number of surgical equipment registrations, which was 2,019, has been reduced to 417.

He said that steps will be taken to increase the number of tests conducted by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority per month to 300, ...