Health Officials Are Bribed By Some Drug Companies To Delay National Drug Policy

The implementation  of much awaited National Drug Policy getting delayed due to bribing of some higher health officials by certain drug companies according to Government Medical Administrators Forum.A higher official of Health Ministry was given Rs.5 million as bribe recently by certain drug companies to prevent implementing of the drug policy the forum has stated.

As a Drug Policy helps ordinary patients to purchase high quality drugs for reasonable prices authorities should have implement the policy without delaying it further a spokesman of the  medical administrator s forum  has stressed.

Over 180 Unqualified Indian Doctors Working As Medical Consultants In Sri Lanka-GMOA

There are over 180 unqualified Indian Doctors working as Consultant Doctors  in several Private Hospitals in Colombo City 
 according to Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA).due to this situation the life of patients who are getting treatment from  these doctors are at risk assistant secretary of GMOA Dr.Nalin Ariyaratne has said.

GMOA  now prepares to go  courts against these unqualified Indian doctors behalf of patients he stressed.while addressing a press briefing held at GMOA Headquarters in Colombo this noon Dr.Ariyaratne has said that after GMOA has revealed on these Indian doctors the owners of private hospitals which are employed them now seeking court"s intervention to retained them in those hospitals."Some Hospital owners are even influencing Health Ministry through politicians to allow these doctors to practice" he pointed out.

Meanwhile Ministry Of Health has decided to   implement a mechanism for  check qualification of foreign doctors before recruiting them to private hospitals.

Health Services Trade Union Federation Requested Government To Arrest A Trade Union Leader

The 24 union Health Services Trade Union Federation(HSTUF) has requested government to arrest Health Trade Union Leader Saman Ratnapriya immediately on charges of trying to block GSP+ concession to Sri Lanka and made anti Sri Lankan statements by attending a Tamil Diaspora meeting held in Kerala State of India.

The president of the union federation Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero and joint secretary Harendra Kuruppu have stated that Ratnapriya who is the president of Health Services Trade Union Alliance and newly formed Alliance Against Corruption and Fraud had  attended a Tamil Diaspora Meeting held in Samudra Beach Hotel in Kerala,India on August 2008 and made anti sri lanakn statements by saying Sri Lanka has no democracy and there are human rights violations.This was a violation of 6th amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution and we therefore  requested government to arrest him immediately "Venerable Muruththettuwe Thero stressed.

"Ratnapriya is not only violated sri lankan constitution but also trying to throw mud against honest officials like former director general of health services Dr.Ajith Mendis "he further added.

Sri Lanka Medical Council Removes Surgical Part From Doctors Duty?

Sri Lanka Medical Council has removed the surgical part from duties of MBBS(Bachelor Of  Medicine,Bachelor Of Surgery) Doctors through the Registration Certificate issued for them according to government doctors.Earlier when a MBBS Doctor has received the registration certificate from Sri Lanka Medical Council to practice here  it states that the medical practitioner  has lawfully qualified to practice medicine and surgery .but under the new registration certificate issued to MBBS Doctors it has stated that medical practitioner has  lawfully qualified to practice medicine only.

This decision to remove surgical part from duties of MBBS Doctors will affect the surgeries in hospitals as majority of surgeries performs in both government and private hospitals are handled by medical officers it self hospital sources said.Sri Lanka Medical Council has already amended the section 29  of Sri Lanka Medical Council Act to enable removing of the surgical part from doctors duty.

Due to this situation MBBS Doctors are now only able to perform surgeries under the supervision of medical consultants according to health sources.

Government Doctors Of Sabaragamuwa Province To Strike From 19th Of September

Government Hospital Doctors attached to Sabaragamuwa Province are to be launched a continuous  strike from 19th of this month (Wednesday) by demanding  Health Ministry to intervene and   implementing delayed transfers of 4 provincial health services directors the president of Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) Dr.Anurudda Padeniya has said.the transfers of  provincial health directors attached to north central,Uva ,sabaragamuwa and central  provinces got delayed due to some court cases filed by two
of   the transferred provincial health directors he stressed.

If the health ministry has failed to look in to this matter by 19th of  September the strike will spread to uva,sabaragamuwa and central provinces as well dr,padeniya said.

The provincial health directors of central and sabaragamuwa provinces challenging their transfers in courts although they have overstayed in these positions and due to this legal action the transfers of other provincial health administrators too got stuck he further added.

Voting Began In Three Provincial Council Elections

The voting to elect 108 members for the North Central,Eastern and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils are currently been progressed amidst few incidents.According to elections department sources the voting began 7 a.m this morning and will be concluded in 4 p.m this evening.the voters turnout reported as very low comparing to previously held provincial council elections.

Around 3073 candidates are contesting for the 108 seats in these three  provincial councils.

Patient Care Services In Provincial Hospitals Paralyzed Due To Delay Of Transfers

 The health services provided from provincial hospitals are  paralyzed due to  non implementing annual transfers of 6000 medical officers and 4 provincial health service directors according to government medical officers union (GMOA).If the authorities have not taken steps to intervene this matter and solving it withing next two weeks government doctors have  decided to launch a stern trade action GMOA sources said.

Due to laziness of some of the health officials ,these transfers are not implemented as yet sources added.