Errant medicos off the list

Lakmini Rodrigo

COLOMBO: The medical registration of doctors regardless of their ranks and status who repeatedly carry out private practice during working hours will be cancelled, Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva warned yesterday.

He added that discussions will be held with the Government Medical Officers' Association and the Sri Lanka Medical Council to bring amendments to the Medical Ordinance in force and the proposed amendments would be brought to Parliament soon.

Speaking on the islandwide strike by Government Medical Professionals' Federation (GMPF) protesting to the detection of two doctors in the Kadugannawa District Hospital, who were allegedly doing private practice when Ministry officers visited them, the Minister said the Health Ministry flying squad had raided that hospital on April 20 at 12.45 p.m. acting on public complaints.

"The District Medical Officer (DMO) and a female Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) were apprehended while doing private practice within the hospital. The GMPF Secretary had come to the place with outsiders and threatened the Ministry officials even after the doctors' statements had been recorded," he said.

The Minister denied the GMPF's accusations that the officers had been drunk and had questioned the female doctor in a closed room. The officers had been immediately examined by a Judicial Medical Officer and the female doctor had been questioned before other patients and had not been physically abused, the Minister said.

According to De Silva the arrogant behaviour of the GMPF Secretary and his crowd and their statements that they did not obey the law, had been recorded on tape and would be presented in court evidence.

The minister requested the public not to be deceived by false stories spread by the GMPF and support the Government.

He added that based on the discussions the Ministry had with the GMOA yesterday, the Ministry would go ahead with the appointment of some of the 850 MBBS doctors who had completed their internship to replace the RMPs and AMPs who had striked.

The Ministry's immediate action would help minimise the harm done to the public by the strike and provide an efficient service to the public, he added.

Condemning the strike, the Government has requested health sector workers on strike to immediately report for work without blindly following the self-centred union leaders, De Silva said.