• GMOF defends decision as ‘progressive’

The College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) and the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) urged the Government to review the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to establish paying wards in State hospitals by looking into the consequences of the said decision and its impact on patients.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on Wednesday (17), the President of the CMLS, Ravi Kumudesh claimed that the Government is attempting to privatise the health sector under the guise of this so called paying ward system. “At first glance, State hospitals are not in the list of institutions that are to be privatised. The Government is going to implement such crucial decisions without having a proper consultation with the relevant stakeholders. Rather than taking measures to make the health service an efficient one, the Government is seeking to create an image that the health service has failed to serve the people. The Government should take steps first to develop the wards in State hospitals before introducing these paying wards. The Government is spending millions on unwanted things but not for such important things that are much needed. This paying ward system will abandon the innocent patients who cannot afford the expenses. Therefore, establishing paying wards in State hospitals is not suitable in this context,” he further claimed. Kumudesh also claimed that having failed to address the real issues prevailing in the sector such as the drug shortage and the lack of doctors, the Ministry of Health is making unnecessary plans in order to achieve its underhand purposes. He also said that the health sector trade unions would come forward if the Government is seeking to privatise the health sector in the name of the economic crisis.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday (16), the Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Haritha Aluthge said that no one in the Ministry has an understanding about the mechanism of establishing this paying ward system as no discussions have been held to date although the Cabinet has made such a decision. He also said that the Government should consult the relevant authorities in the health sector before reaching a final decision in this regard and that the GMOA has already sought a meeting with the Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella to discuss this.

However, when contacted by The Daily Morning on Wednesday, the President of the Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF), Dr. Rukshan Bellana said that they have observed it to be a very progressive decision and believe that this will have a good impact on the health sector.