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GMOA wants Health Ministry officials to get cracking with 2023 budget allocation to end severe drug shortage
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Health Ministry officials must take steps to use Rs 321 billion allocated for health by the 2023 budget to solve the severe drug shortage, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge told The Island yesterday.The GMOA Secretary said that there were many weaknesses in the procurement of medical supplies and these need to be addressed immediately.
“The process is also too complicated and there is a great deal of corruption in the sector,” said Dr. Aluthge.
There had been an attempt to expand the post graduate training opportunities for doctors with the 2023 budget, Dr. Aluthge said. “Postgraduate training is now available at the Colombo University. The budget proposes such programmes in Peradeniya, Ruhuna and Jaffna universities. This is a positive development as this will update the knowledge of doctors and develop their skills,” he said.
Dr. Aluthge said that the government was planning to establish another institution to determine the quality of degrees. A similar proposal was brought in when President Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister of the Yahapalanaya government, he said.
“A lot of people, including the GMOA opposed this because this would have an adverse effect on the work done by the University Grants Commission and the existing mechanisms that gauge the quality of university degrees. We are keeping a close tab on this proposal and will oppose this proposal if it affects the quality of degrees,” he said.
Dr. Aluthge said that the budget had proposed to establish the paying ward system in government hospitals. “This is a strange proposal given that some hospitals including the Colombo National Hospital, already have this,” he said.
“However, the proposal to establish paying wards at Base Hospitals is suspicious. This might be a step-in privatising healthcare and will affect healthcare provided to the poorest segments of the population,” he said.
The GMOA Secretary said that they had been highlighting the high prevalence of malnutrition. The government has allocated Rs. 500 million to address this problem. “We must now ensure that the money is used properly. We must identify those who are the most in need and ensure that there is no corruption here.”
Dr. Aluthge said that the government was attempting to increase the tax revenue and given the crisis faced by the country, this is a necessity. However, some of the proposals to boost tax income are arbitrary and counter-productive.
“This has caused anger and fear among many professionals. This might also lead to more professionals leaving the country. We have already called for amending what, we think, are unfair revisions to tax policy. We believe that taxes must be collected and funds raised therefrom spent in a transparent manner.
Dr. Aluthge said that over the years a number of positive proposals had been made in budgets, but they had not been implemented.
“There are some welcome proposals. There are some bad ones as well. We fear that while the worst proposals are implemented, the good ones will be ignored. We will work with all concerned parties to ensure that the quality of the health services is maintained and defeat any attempt to privatise healthcare.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
