• Appointing a committee with GMOA in process to find reasons

The Ministry of Health is to initiate legal action against medical professionals who are leaving the country for foreign employment opportunities without due permission, and preparations to appoint a committee with the support of the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) to look into the issues that have led to doctors’ mass exodus.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (7), Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the Ministry had planned to initiate legal action against medical professionals, including medical specialists and doctors, who are leaving the country without due permission from the relevant authorities.

He also said that the Ministry is planning to appoint a committee with the support of the GMOA in order to discuss the major issues that have led to this situation. "I think the aragalaya (a reference to last year’s public protest movement that demanded the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Government) is a major reason for this issue. There can also be other issues, and in order to look into those issues, we have planned to appoint a committee, and it will be done within a month."

Rambukwella further said that the problematic situation in the health field due to migration of medical professionals would subside in the future, as happened in the past: "It is true that there has been a migration of specialists and doctors during the last few months. More than 200 or 300 doctors have migrated. The same situation emerged during the war period. But, they came back to the country following the end of the war. I believe that this situation may also subside in the future."

Meanwhile, when contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday, GMOA Media Spokesman, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe also agreed that there is a large-scale brain drain: "There are more than 20,000 doctors and 2,800 specialists. About 90% of them are living in the country to treat the people. In this context, the Health Ministry must present some policies to retain those medical professionals (in the country). If it is not done, they will also be leaving the country."

The country's free health sector is currently in a state of crisis due to several reasons including the mass exodus of medical professionals, and the shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and other medical supplies. With the high cost of living at present, public servants including health workers have also demanded a salary increase, although the Government has stated that it is not in a position to provide such in the current situation. Furthermore, following the retirement of a considerable number of health sector employees on 31 December, 2022, in accordance with the Government's new retirement policy, a shortage of employees has also been created in the health sector.