Brain drain a major problem:

Tough action against absconding doctors
 

BY BHARATHA Malawaraarachchi

TWO Sri Lankan doctors who were on duty at a hospital in the UK had fled from their wards when they spotted Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who has come down hard on doctors who have not returned to the country after completing their higher studies abroad.

De Silva was on a visit to the hospital when these two doctors vanished from the hospital premises rousing doubts among the fellow doctors and also the Minister who inquired into the doctors' behaviour.

It was later learnt that these two are among other doctors who have not returned to the country and remain in countries such as England after completing their higher studies abroad.

Minister de Silva has ordered strict action against such doctors.

"As an initial step, the Ministry plans to publicise the full list of doctors who have not so far returned to Sri Lanka and remain in countries such as England and Australia."

According to the statistics, there are 132 such Government medical officers who have not returned home after completing their studies abroad.

"The majority of these doctors who have not returned are anaesthetists while the others include surgeons, radiologists and psychiatrists," a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

Minister de Silva has ordered to publish a list of these doctors with their names, names of parents, school and university in the newspapers.

"At the same time, the Ministry is now planning to take legal action against these doctors and also recover the funds provided to them."

At present, the bond for a doctor who goes aborad for a job and training is around Rs 700,000 while for a doctor who goes on a scholarship it is around Rs. 2.6 million.

The sending of doctors for foreign training commenced after 1983 and so far over 100 have been trained.

The defaulters are already considered to have vacated their posts.