Ministry to recruit first interns batch

A decision has been taken to deploy a section of doctors from the proposed first batch to be recruited for internship appointments to North and East hospital if the merit list of the second batch is not forwarded soon by the Sri Lanka Medical Council.

This decision was taken following a discussion the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the provision of internship appointments.

Minister Douglas Devananda at the discussion said the doctor shortage in the North and East hospitals can be averted if the Government implements a policy to making it mandatory for the medical graduates passing out from the Jaffna university to serve one year in the North and East hospitals.

He said the people in the North and East will be subjected to injustice, if this policy is not implemented even at this stage.

Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the GMOA had opposed the implementation of this policy.

He said the Ministry had to recall applications for internship appointments as Medical Council found irregularities in its merit list prepared for the foreign medical graduates.