News
GMOA: Authorities did not heed warning of docs’ exodus
By Rathindra Kuruwita
It would take about two years for the government and the public to see the real impact of health staff leaving the country, and by the time the cracks in the healthcare system become visible, the damage will be irreversible, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), media spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told The Island on Thursday.
The GMOA and other unions had warned the relevant officials that doctors were gearing up to leave the country from at least a year ago, the GMOA spokesman said.GMOA branches across the country had informed that doctors and other health professionals had started applying for foreign jobs since the start of the economic crisis, he said.
The staff shortages in hospitals have already crippled many peripheral hospitals, Dr. Wijesinghe added.
“The Health Ministry tried to scare doctors and other health staffers by threatening to take legal action. Some even threatened to stop doctors from emigrating at the airport. These threats have obviously not worked. Anyone keeping tabs on the news would have seen that the anaesthetist specialist at Hambantota Hospital has left without even informing anyone. This is a person who is qualified from a recognized foreign university and is attached to a big hospital. Given the highway, he is only three hours away from Colombo. Why has he left without informing anyone?” Dr. Wijesinghe asked.
Hambantota Hospital needs two anesthetist specialists. However, the government had not filled a vacancy for a long time, and the doctor who left had been doing the work of two people, the GMOA spokesman said.
“He had to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now there is no one. The Director at Hambantota Hospital is trying to get other doctors to do the anesthetist specialist’s job. This is not fair to doctors or patients. Who will take responsibility if things go wrong? The shortage of anesthetist specialists is serious. The demand for consultant emergency physicians is high across the world. They also like Sri Lankans,” he said.
Various colleges of specialist doctors are receiving emails from the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK that they are willing to recruit from Sri Lanka, Dr. Wijesinghe said, adding that about 30 anesthetist specialists have left Sri Lanka in the last 18 months.
“There is no anesthetist specialist in Karawanella, Dehiattakandiya, several hospitals in Kalmunai, and Mahaoya. Soon, there will be no anaesthetist specialists in peripheral hospitals. Then it will be impossible to maintain emergency care units or any other unit that involves surgery. A specialist in anaesthesia must be present when any serious surgery is done. 842 doctors and 274 specialists have left the country between 01 June 2022 and 31 May 2023. About 250 who completed the internship didn’t accept their appointments. There were about 30 emergency care specialists, and now there are only seven. It’s obvious where this is going,” he said.
Dr. Wijesinghe mentioned that there is a systematic campaign to attack state healthcare on social media. The starting salary of a specialist is 88,000 rupees, and most of them in the periphery live in squalor, he said.
“No wonder that health staff are migrating.”
The GMOA said that apart from a few hospitals in the main cities, most state-run hospitals will have to be closed down in the next two years unless the migration of the health staff is not addressed.
“Poor people will suffer and die. Of course no one will take responsibility for the human tragedy when that happens,” he said.
The Department of Education has announced that the results of the 2024 General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examination have been released online, and can be viewed on : www.doenets.lk
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the training of teachers required for the new education reforms will commence in May, and that contracts granted to political cronies in local government institutions will be brought to an end following the upcoming local government elections.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing public gatherings held in the areas of Mirigama, Minuwangoda, and Katana in the Gampaha District.
Addressing the gatherings, Prime Minister stated:
“From birth to death, all the aspects of life of a person are handled by local government institutions. However, to this day, these institutions lack proper systems even to provide the people with basic facilities.
We are committed to working with a proper system, free of fraud and corruption, and managing every rupee carefully and attentively. We are identifying the needs of people and implementing projects under a systematic plan to develop rural sectors.
You elect fellow members who stand firmly against fraud and corruption through two decisive elections. First, you elect Anura Kumara as President, a leader committed to fighting corruption. Then, in the parliamentary election, you choose a group of qualified individuals who are equally dedicated to this cause to represent you in Parliament.
To ensure that the funds allocated for rural development reach the people, the local government institutions which are the closest to the villagers must also be clean and transparent. That is why this election is so important to us.
The people and the villages come to experience our corruption-free political culture through local government institutions. These institutions must properly implement, monitor, and evaluate the development projects allocated to the rural sector. The era of awarding contracts for such projects to political cronies must end.
Although early childhood development is a crucial part of education, there has never been a proper system for it. We are now establishing such a system. Starting in May, teacher training for the modern education which is being introduced will begin. We have a comprehensive plan for development across all sectors.
The Ministry of Education has received billions worth of projects, but there is no proper implementation process. For example, 1,500 smart boards were brought for smart classrooms, but the Secretary to the Ministry has not implemented a system to distribute them to schools. Teachers have not been trained to use them. Teacher training institutes still follow outdated curriculum. This will be corrected through the new education reforms,
In order to deliver all these benefits to the rural sector efficiently, it is essential to elect the right people for the right purposes. Therefore, in the upcoming local government elections, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya urged the public to vote for the candidates who are free from fraud and corruption presented by the National People’s Power (NPP).”
The event was attended by Parliament Chief Organizer of the ruling party Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Members of Parliament Ruwanthilaka Jayakody and Chaminda Lalith Kumara, along with several local government candidates and the residents of the area.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will represent Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, the Ministry said.
The funeral is scheduled for today.
About 50,000 people came to pay their respects to the late Pope on Thursday, the Vatican news service said.
“Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul,” according to the Vatican news service.
“The Novemdiales Masses will be held each day at 5:00 PM (GMT +2) in St. Peter’s Basilica, except for the Mass on Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 27, which will take place at 10:30 AM in St. Peter’s Square.”
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