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| Friday, 12 March 2004 |
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Stranger than fiction in Medical strikes Six years since conception baby yet to be born (Dr. Ananda Samarasekera relates the story)
The Deputy Head of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) Dr. Ananda Samarasekera who also happens to be one time President of the GMOA related this story to the Health Watch, while commenting on the GMOAs token strike over unresolved salary dispute and the spate of health sector strikes in the recent past which had placed immense burdens on the country's patient population. Arbitration Board proposal Dr. Samarasekera was referring to the Arbitration Board proposal for the health sector which he made to the health authorities six years ago, when he was the President of the GMOA to settle health sector disputes through arbitration without resorting to strike action, thus ensuring a strike free health sector to the public. Figuratively speaking Dr. Samarasekera figuratively speaking said this Arbitration Board baby we conceived in the policy makers of this country yet remains in their womb unborn, simply because they appear politically uncommitted for some reason or other to give birth to it. Stranger than fiction This he said is the stranger than fiction story because the six year since conception in spite of the Sri Lanka Medical Association also joining to help in the delivery, the baby continues to remain unborn. It's hard to believe It's hard to believe he said that even at this general election, no political party has thought it appropriate to take this up as an issue, and assure the public, and give a pledge that they will deliver this overgrown health strike resolution baby which they have been carrying in their womb for the past six years to the public even at this time. Politicians take the cue from the Health Watch Dr. Samarasekera hoped that the politicians will take the cue at least from the Health Watch story this time. Give the assurance to the public and more importantly keep to the promise as well. This is how it will work Explaining how the Arbitration Board will work to resolve dispute without leading to strike action, Dr. Samarasekera said, once the Board is set-up then it becomes mandatory for all health sector unions to take their disputes to the Board for resolution. The settlements reached are bound to be acceptable to the party concerned and others as well because the Board comprise representatives acceptable to all unions. Hence the necessity for strike action does not arise. Right to Strike Action remains Dr. Samarasekera said some health sector unions had recently expressed fears that setting up this Board would take away their right to strike. This is not so. That right remains and could be resorted to, but as stated earlier that necessity would hardly arise, as the Board comprise members acceptable to the Unions. ******************* Justice Mark Fernando on 'Right to Health' and strikes "The right to health imposes obligations not only on medical practitioners but on many others: teachers of medicine, medical administrators, on members of the many "professions supplementary to medicine"; manufacturers and dealers in pharmaceutical, medical equipment and supplies, manufacturers and dealers in food items, food supplements, cosmetics and other items relevant to health, the media and advertisers, and many others". Justice Fernando made this observation while speaking on the topic 'ethics and negligence at the recently held medical symposium on "Medical negligence" in Colombo held jointly by the Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science (SLAAS) and the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA). Speaking further on this aspect of medicine at this well attended event by the medical and scientific professionals in the country Justice Fernando went on to say... The implications "The right to health has many implications for those in the health care sector. A professional is one who has not only received a long period of systematic education and training, but who constantly improves and upgrades his knowledge and skill. Can a professional totally ignore other systems of medicine besides his own? There are many systems of medicine which are much older than western medicine, from some of which western medicine has borrowed. If the medical profession is to fulfil its obligation to provide the highest attainable standard of health, should not its students and members have some access to other systems of medicine? Right to withhold treatment and on strikes "Another ethical issue is the right to withhold treatment in the pursuit of "industrial action", whether termed strikes or sick-note campaigns or otherwise. Some may dispute the existence of a right to strike. But accepting that there is a right to strike, nevertheless there will be situations in which the exercise of that right may seriously prejudice the right to health; which rights is to prevail? Does the right to health impose restrictions on the right to strike? Should the right to strike be exercised only after alternative dispute-resolution processes have failed? If so, does the right to health cast an obligation on the State to provide an independent, impartial, competent and effective dispute-resolution procedure? These issues need to be studied and resolved in the interest of every citizen's right to health. "Other issues relate to the patient's right to full information about diagnosis, treatment, side effects, etc; the obligation for the State to provide adequate trained staff, equipment, supplies, etc; misleading advertisements which may affect health". (Health Watch 5.12.2003) ******************* Panchakarma healing therapy
Panchakarma healing therapy as practised in Kerala in India is now being done at the Wickramarachchi, Ayurvedha Medical College, Yakkala which is coming under the Kelaniya University. The Ayurveda Medical College has informed us that the University has got down Prof. P. K. Ashok, head of the Swasthavaritha (Panchakarma) Department of the Kerala University in India to head the Yakkala Panchakarma Unit and train Ayurvedha medical students in the college in this therapy. According to the Yakkala Medical College patients in large numbers suffering from various ailments are attending this unit daily and getting the treatment as in most cases it has had very positive results. *******************
Health service drowned neck-deep by Dr. T.G.D. Chandra Perera Multi-storeyed buildings have come up with all the modern equipment including more than enough eye catching money consuming gadgets supposed to be of great diagnostic value. Highly qualified professionals are available, of course for high fees; but what has happened to the healthcare of millions of helpless poor people of our country? Is it not true that the service to them has come down to a low depth beyond imagination despite the so-called advancement in medical technology? Most of the doctors who joined the medical department in the past belonged to respectable families having sufficient income for a good living and they joined this service with the object of serving humanity; sometimes helping the poor patients financially and or otherwise. For instance, during the writer's probationary period at Aranayaka hospital in the year 1940, the head of the institution Dr. B.S. Jayawardena had in his consultation room, bags containing rice, dhal and green gram to dole out for poor patients. In addition, the drawers of his office table were full with pieces of cloth, which he issued to those who came in rags. The service rendered at Central Dispensaries became very popular and in the latter part of 1940s, George E. De Silva, popularly known as the poor man's Health Minister introduced a scheme to establish maternity wards attached to them; thus the C.D. became a C.D and M.H. These institutions became so popular in the rural areas of our country that the associations of Provincial Councils of Kandy District and Anuradhapura District adopted resolutions unanimously calling upon the Government to improve the working conditions of these officers by relieving them of voluminous clerical duties which took much of their time, so that they could devote more time for their professional work. The response of the authorities for this request was to stop recruitment of the junior grade doctors altogether. With the passage of time, increase of population and the change of working and the living conditions of the people of the country, particularly the poor rural folk were greatly inconvenienced during a medical emergency. In such situations, they rushed to someone in the village working in a hospital, a nurse, attendant, midwife or a dispensary orderly for advice and help. These employees who always had with them some things like aspirin tablets, surgical dressing material for their use during an emergency in the night came to their rescue. Gradually, as more and more patients came to them, they stocked more and more drugs and became illegal practitioners of the rural areas. In addition, certain other categories of practitioners with no training in modern scientific medicine opened up dispensaries all over the country. Further, pharmacies with permits obtained form the Health Department mushroomed to supply drugs to any and all who came with or without prescriptions. |
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