The Ministry of Health yesterday noted that 36 specialists out of 400 doctors who had migrated for higher medical training had not returned.
The Daily Morning learns that the Ministry plans to take disciplinary action against the 36 who have not returned for duty. Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (4), the Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said that out of 400 doctors who have migrated for further medical training in 2020, 36 specialist doctors have not returned to the island.
“Accordingly, disciplinary action will be imposed and the law will be enforced for those 36 doctors” the Health Minister opined.
Commenting on the outflow of medical experts, Rambukwella pointed out: “Although doctors leave the country, we cannot stop them at the airport while forcing them to remain in the country.”
However, College of Medical Laboratory Scientists (CMLS) President, Ravi Kumudesh told The Daily Morning that the Ministry was not concerned about the shortage of doctors in the country. He claimed that the reason for the specialist doctors’ migration is the shortage of medicines and the lack of facilities in hospitals. “Even though the Ministry admits that there is a shortage of 106 drugs, nearly 200 essential medicines are in short supply. The Ministry is trying to reduce the deficit by changing the essential list,” he claimed.
He pointed out that if the shortcomings in the health service were resolved by the Health Ministry, many who are making plans to migrate, may reconsider. Accordingly, Kumudesh urged the Ministry to take prompt action to resolve the shortage of medicines and equipment that has been long felt, and address the demands made by doctors.
Kumudesh highlighted an allegation made by the CMLS earlier, that one of the two Cardiac Catheterisation Units (Cath Labs) at the Kandy National Hospital has broken down since 6 May while the other is under maintenance due to the high probability of breakdown in the near future. Currently, the maintenance cost of this machine is estimated at Rs. 26 million and no steps have been taken to start the maintenance work, Kumudesh claimed, questioning as to how doctors can continue their work, if the relevant facilities, equipment, and medicines are not available.