Disunity, the bane of the medical profession - Minister

Chaminda Perera

Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena yesterday said disunity among medical professionals has caused damage to the entire medical profession and placed the government in a difficult position.

The Minister was speaking at the opening of the Clinical Medicine and Research Centre at the Colombo National Hospital premises.

The Minister added that operations of the Kidney and Liver Transplant Unit at the Colombo National Hospital has come to standstill mainly due to the disunity among medical professionals.

"It is very easy to work with the village development committees than the medical professionals as the villagers are more cooperative and united," he said.

The Department is guided by senior Professor Vidyajothi Rezvi Sheriff. "The Research Centre is the brainchild of Professor Sheriff. The department is conducting clinical teaching to the undergraduates and post graduate students while providing treatments to thousands of patients and the center was a long felt need for the department to conduct and teaching of students.

A special memento was presented to Prof Rezvi Sheriff by Head of Department professor Saraj Jayasinghe in recognition of his service to the medical field.

Minister Sirisena added that the seeds of unity and cooperation should be sown in the minds of the medical students while they are at the Medical faculties.

"We won't face any problems, if these attitudinal changes take place within them while they are studying at the Medical faculty", he said.

The Minister added that the Government has to face a barrage of public criticism owing to this situation. He said the media attributes this situation to the Government.

"Only God can solve some problems among the medical fraternity ", he said. Minister Sirisena added that the hospital directors and management are faced with many difficulties due to discunity among the medical practitioners and the consultants who are presumed to be the "Learned community" in the country.

The Minister also said the medical professionals involved in research should carry out a thorough study as to why the medical practitioners passing out from the medical colleges leave the country without discharging their obligations towards the country.

"Free education is guaranteed to each and every student in the country from primary to university and tertiary level and the products of free education should carry out what they are expected by the country," he said.

The Minister said over 50 medical students in some batches have left the country even before they were given their appointments. There is acute shortage of doctors in government hospital's and the government faces difficulties in sending doctors to hospitals in rural areas. The Minister added that these rural hospitals are closed intermittently due to shortage of doctors.