Time to shed egoism

Minister tells professionals:

The time has come to preach a new Sutta to the country's professionals requesting them to serve the people better by reducing their egoism, Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said when he opened a dental clinic for expectant mothers and handed over appointment letters to a new batch of 106 dental surgeons recruited to the Health Service at a ceremony at the SLFI Colombo on November 5.

The Minister said eventhough Sri Lanka boasted of an efficient health service it had more potential to surpass developed nations in the sphere of health services if we changed our present mentalities.

He said certain doctors were unwilling to take up appointments to difficult areas.

When such appointments were given some take up the appointment and soon come and pester the Ministry for transfers to more congenial places. Others refused to take up difficult area appointments and made a hue and cry over sections of the media saying there was a long queue of passed out doctors awaiting appointments. If they refrained from such activities giving appointments to them would be much easier.

Minister de Silva said his Ministry was able to handle the procedure of recruiting the new batch of 106 dental surgeons without delay because the PSC was now extinct. All 106 dental surgeons have been assigned to difficult stations because oral health was an area which needed special attention.

The Minister who thanked the Dental School and the Maharagama School of Dental Therapy for organizing the dental clinic for expectant mothers said the Ministry was now taking steps to produce a strong cadre of dental therapists needed by the country.

The cadre strength was only 69 and they hoped to train another 300 to 400 therapists soon.

Child Health Director Dr. Deepthi Perera, Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. Terrance de Silva, Director General Dental Services (oral health) P. B. Jayasundera Bandara and other officials were also present.