Bipartisan coalition of doctor MPs urged to join hands with external experts to tackle health crisis

By Rathindra Kuruwita 

If the coalition of parliamentarians who are also doctors want to solve the current health crisis, they must join hands with external experts, President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) Ravi Kumudesh told The Island yesterday.

 On Wednesday (18), MP Prof. Channa Jayasumana said MPs representing the ruling party and the opposition, who are also doctors, have agreed to intervene to solve the crisis in the health sector.

  “The current crisis in health is a creation of the existing system. The system has ways of justifying all corruption, why modern systems are not used for management, etc. Those who run this corrupt system are mainly doctors in the ministry. They are also linked to politicians. I really don’t see how politician cum doctors, who are a part of the system can solve the issues in the sector on their own,” he said.

 Kumudesh said the doctor MPs must link up with experts on information technology, and the latest management techniques when they try to find solutions for the health crisis.

 “Health minister Keheliya Rambukwella or his close associates are not the only reason why there is so much corruption in the system.  The procurement system itself encourages corruption. The health management system does not evaluate the accountability, responsibility, or the expertise of officials. Good intentions and appeal to morals and conscience alone can’t prevent corruption. We need new mechanisms and being a medical expert alone is not enough for this,” he said.