News
About 375 specialist docs have left SL in 12 months
By Shiran Ranasinghe
Work in most hospitals have been severely affected by the migration of over 375 specialist doctors and thousands of healthcare staff, and drug shortages, doctors claim.About 50 per cent of doctors who are abroad to receive higher medical training to become specialists have informed that they have no intention of returning to the country.
So far, the hospitals in Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura, Tangalle, Hambantota, Mullaitivu and Dehiattakandiya are the worst affected and many clinics and other facilities provided by these hospitals have come to a standstill.
Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) media spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said that some hospitals would have to be closed down. About 1000-1500 doctors had left the country and no one had any idea about the number of nurses and other health staff who have left the country, he said
“This is a sad state of affairs and there are several reasons why health staff are leaving the country. One is the high taxes and another is the political and economic instability. They are also stressed out because they can’t treat patients due to medical shortages. Most of the doctors spend their day calling people and cajoling philanthropists to help them secure medicine for their hospitals,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the two catheterisation machines of the Kandy hospital has broken down, placing the lives of some of the 8024 patients who are in the waiting list in jeopardy.
Head of the government radiologist union, Chanaka Dharmaratne said those machines were vital to treat heart patients. “One machine at the Kandy General Hospital is out of order while the other needs immediate servicing. These are important and expensive pieces of equipment that are vital in treating and identifying heart ailments,” he said.
A private hospital will charge about 100,000 rupees for the use of catheterisation machines and about one million rupees to introduce a stent, he said.Dharmaratne said that there are many drug and equipment shortages in the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children too.
Gampaha General Hospital Director, Dr. Himali Wijegunasekera said that they rely heavily on philanthropists to deal with the severe drug shortage in hospitals. She added that frequently needed drugs to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are in short supply as well. Doctors at the hospital had given a list of drugs that are in short supply to the hospital development authority to circulate among philanthropists.
said they were planning to set up five paying wards at the hospital. There were about 2,400 medical specialists in the country. 285 were to retire soon after turning 65 and around 375 had left the country in the past 12 months, she said said.
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
