News
GMOA wants Health Ministry officials to get cracking with 2023 budget allocation to end severe drug shortage
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Health Ministry officials must take steps to use Rs 321 billion allocated for health by the 2023 budget to solve the severe drug shortage, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge told The Island yesterday.The GMOA Secretary said that there were many weaknesses in the procurement of medical supplies and these need to be addressed immediately.
“The process is also too complicated and there is a great deal of corruption in the sector,” said Dr. Aluthge.
There had been an attempt to expand the post graduate training opportunities for doctors with the 2023 budget, Dr. Aluthge said. “Postgraduate training is now available at the Colombo University. The budget proposes such programmes in Peradeniya, Ruhuna and Jaffna universities. This is a positive development as this will update the knowledge of doctors and develop their skills,” he said.
Dr. Aluthge said that the government was planning to establish another institution to determine the quality of degrees. A similar proposal was brought in when President Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister of the Yahapalanaya government, he said.
“A lot of people, including the GMOA opposed this because this would have an adverse effect on the work done by the University Grants Commission and the existing mechanisms that gauge the quality of university degrees. We are keeping a close tab on this proposal and will oppose this proposal if it affects the quality of degrees,” he said.
Dr. Aluthge said that the budget had proposed to establish the paying ward system in government hospitals. “This is a strange proposal given that some hospitals including the Colombo National Hospital, already have this,” he said.
“However, the proposal to establish paying wards at Base Hospitals is suspicious. This might be a step-in privatising healthcare and will affect healthcare provided to the poorest segments of the population,” he said.
The GMOA Secretary said that they had been highlighting the high prevalence of malnutrition. The government has allocated Rs. 500 million to address this problem. “We must now ensure that the money is used properly. We must identify those who are the most in need and ensure that there is no corruption here.”
Dr. Aluthge said that the government was attempting to increase the tax revenue and given the crisis faced by the country, this is a necessity. However, some of the proposals to boost tax income are arbitrary and counter-productive.
“This has caused anger and fear among many professionals. This might also lead to more professionals leaving the country. We have already called for amending what, we think, are unfair revisions to tax policy. We believe that taxes must be collected and funds raised therefrom spent in a transparent manner.
Dr. Aluthge said that over the years a number of positive proposals had been made in budgets, but they had not been implemented.
“There are some welcome proposals. There are some bad ones as well. We fear that while the worst proposals are implemented, the good ones will be ignored. We will work with all concerned parties to ensure that the quality of the health services is maintained and defeat any attempt to privatise healthcare.”
There has been a noticeable increase in the spread of Chikungunya in the city of Colombo, Kotte, and the suburbs of Colombo, according to the Health Ministry.
As of 14 March, the Weekly Epidemiological Report says 173 chikungunya cases have been reported from Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy.
Acting Consultant Community Physician of the Ministry of Health Dr. Kumudu Weerakoon said that the Chikungunya virus had spread to Sri Lanka in 1960.
Meanwhile, Dr. Deepal Perera, Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, Colombo, told The Island yesterday that there had been an increase in the number of children affected by Chikungunya.
“To tackle this situation, it is extremely important to keep your homes, doorways, and school premises clean regularly,” he said.
“If a child has fever lasting more than two days, darkening around the nose, or joint pain, these could be symptoms of Chikungunya. In such cases, take the child to a doctor. Chikungunya is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The joint pain can persist for months. Therefore, we strongly urge both children and adults to take all precautions to avoid contracting Chikungunya.”
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon and Chaminda Silva
‘Genocide Memorial’ in Canada
Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown has slammed SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa over the latter’s recent statement regarding the monument that was inaugurated in Canada commemorating the victims of the final stages of the North East conflict.
In a statement on ‘X’, Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown said, “The Rajapaksas’ opposition to the Tamil Genocide Memorial is the surest signal that we are on the right path recognising the innocent civilian lives lost at the hands of this family.”
Patrick Brown further said that if confident that no genocide occurred, the Rajapaksa family should fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court rather than obstructing justice and hiding from prosecution.
“This is their Nuremberg moment, and instead of facing accountability, this family hides in luxury protected by the Sri Lankan state. It’s shameful. The crimes against humanity committed by the Rajapaksa family rival Pol Pot, Slobodan Milosevic, Heinrich Himmler, and Flicien Kabuga. It’s a badge of honour that they object to our Canadian Tamil Genocide Memorial,” he added.
His remarks came in response to SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa’s recent statement that it was concerning that Canada has inaugurated a Tamil
Genocide Memorial when, under international law, no genocide has been proven or can be proven against the Sri Lankan military in its conflict with the LTTE terrorists.
“The so-called Tamil genocide monument appears to be a politically driven move by the Canadian government, which has long been influenced by certain factions within the Tamil diaspora. Rather than working towards peace and unity, these groups have fueled division for their own interests,” MP Rajapaksa said, in a statement on ‘X’.
Custodial death of domestic worker
The Colombo High Court yesterday fixed July 21 as the date for the pre-trial conference on a case filed against three police officers attached to the Welikada Police over the custodial death of a domestic worker in 2023.
When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge R.S.S. Sapuwida, Defence counsel informed court that they had not received some of the documents submitted in relation to the case. The judge instructed the State Counsel to ensure that the necessary documents were made available to the defence.
After considering all facts presented, the judge scheduled the pre-trial conference for July 21.
The victim, 41-year-old R. Rajakumari, a resident of Badulla, was arrested on May 11, 2023, following a complaint by her employer, Sudharma Nethicumara, alleging the theft of gold jewellery.
Rajakumari later died while in custody at the Welikada Police Station. Her family raised concerns over the circumstances that had led to her death, alleging that she may have been assaulted.
Later a disciplinary action was initiated against seven officers attached to the Welikada Police. A Sub-Inspector, two sergeants, and a constable were interdicted, while another constable and two Women Police Constables were transferred for the same reason.
BY AJA Abeynayake
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