Mar 10, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today will receive the legislation that would help set up the much awaited National Drug Policy.

The National Drug Policy which has been in the making for years will incorporate all the proposals set forth by the late Prof. Senaka Bibile, according to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health.

Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena will hand over the copy of the bill to the President, Health Ministry Spokesperson D. Wanninayake said.

He said the bill was drafted amidst many obstacles posed especially by the drug mafia in the country.

The Health Ministry after formulating the policy had referred it to the Legal Draftsman's Department in 2011 to be drafted into a bill. The effort has finally come through after many years of difficulties.

The bill according to the Health Ministry is aimed at prescribing pharmaceuticals to patients under their generic names and preventing patients from being exploited by what the Ministry refers to as the 'drug mafia'.

After handing over the bill to the President, it will be sent for Cabinet approval and afterwards for parliamentary approval.