Ex-minister, consumer group blast dismissal. Sacked Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) chief Witit Artavatkun is mulling taking legal action against the agency's board for unfair dismissal.
The GPO board dismissed Dr Witit on Friday after finding him negligent in his duties.
A source in Dr Witit's legal team said the ex-GPO boss could lodge a complaint with the Administrative Court if enough evidence emerges to establish his dismissal was unlawful.
But the legal team would first need to study details of the GPO board's dismissal order and wait for the cabinet to formally approve the sacking before deciding on its next move, the source said.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) launched an investigation into allegations of graft against Dr Witit in February.
It announced one of its findings on May 1, saying Dr Witit had favoured a supplier in purchasing paracetamol ingredients in 2010-2012.
The DSI also said on Thursday it had found Dr Witit was involved in price collusion and had committed dereliction of duty in connection with the delayed construction of a 1.4-billion-baht vaccine factory.
The DSI said Dr Witit had divided the design contract into four parts which resulted in unfair competition between the bidders. It also claimed Dr Witit had changed the type of vaccine factory from an inactive one to a live attenuated one without seeking fresh approval from the cabinet.
These changes led to the delay in the construction, the DSI said.
Based on the DSI's findings, as well as its own independent investigation,the GPO board decided on Friday that Dr Witit had been negligent in his duty and dismissed him.
Dr Witit maintains his innocence.Consumer Foundation secretarygeneral Saree Aongsomwang said her network had launched an online campaign to reveal the truth in the case.
Health activists claim Dr Witit's removal was politically motivated, suggesting it was part of a plot to undermine the state-owned GPO in favour of rival multinational drug companies.
Ms Saree's group has also posted a petition on change.org to urge the cabinet not to approve Dr Witit's dismissal.
"In the past couple of months, there have been several suspicious moves made by Public Health Ministry executives, politicians and high-ranking officials to defame the GPO and Dr Witit,"one of the activists wrote in the petition."There have also been attempts to discredit the quality of generic medicines [produced by the GPO].
"Dr Witit has performedhis duty exceptionally well to develop the organisation for the benefit of Thailand," she wrote.
Former public health minister Mongkol Na Songkhla also posted on his Facebook page criticising the GPO board for citing the vaccine factory delay in its dismissal order.
He said several Health Ministry construction projects have been delayed in the past, but no action was taken against the permanent secretaries and directors-general involved.
Source: Bangkok Post 21 May 2013
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