News
Exorbitant charges driving patients away from pvt. healthcare providers – Keheliya, GMOA
Private Hospitals Association demands to know basis of Minister’s assertion
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Government hospitals struggling to cope up with shortage of medicine, essential equipment as well as disruption of supplies for want of funds are likely to face a significant increase in the number of patients next year.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella recently asserted government hospitals were likely to experience a 25% to 30% increase in the number of patients next year. Rambukwella said so at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health.
Addressing the Consultative Committee, in his capacity as the Chairperson, Minister Rambukwella warned of a sharp increase in the number of patients at government hospitals as the middle income category found it difficult to seek treatment at private hospitals.
Among those present at the meeting were Minister Naseer Ahamed, State Ministers, (Dr.) Seetha Arambepola, and Sisira Jayakody and MPs Dr. Rajitha Senarathne, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Ashok Abeysinghe, Weerasumana Weerasinghe and Sivagnanam Shritharan
The Consultative Committee discussed the crisis against the backdrop of government hospitals unable to meet the growing demand due to the forex crisis. Lawmakers expressed concerns over the public being forced to obtain treatment at private hospitals as the government couldn’t meet the emergency situation according to the Consultative Committee.
Responding to concerns with regard to the shortage of medicines raised by members of the Consultative Committee, Minister Rambukwella has disclosed the utilization of USD 28 mn grant, provided by China, to procure 14 essential medicines. Director Legislative Services, Janakantha Silva, quoted Minister Rambukwella as having said that in addition to USD 200 mn allocated to cater to the needs of the health sector, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for an additional USD 35 mn for the same purpose.
The Island sought the response of K.A.A.P. Kuruppuarachchi and Sunil Ratnapriya, the President and the Secretary of the Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes yesterday (30), questioned the basis for Minister Rambukwella’s declaration in the absence of any study or survey on the issues at hand.
They explained that it wouldn’t be fair to comment on the Minister’s assertion without knowing the basis he made that particular comment. However, the increase in charges at hospitals and nursing homes, affiliated to the Association, should be examined, taking into consideration the escalation of everything, including medicine, equipment as well as all services.
Responding to another query, the spokespersons emphasized that there was absolutely no basis for claims that excessive charges caused a drop in patients at private hospitals and nursing homes. Kuruppuarachchi pointed out in fact for want of medicine and other required services, some moved to private hospitals from state run hospitals. Actually they didn’t have any other option, Kuruppuarachchi said urging all those concerned to be cautious as the crisis experienced by the health sector couldn’t be taken in isolation.
Kuruppuarachchi underscored the need to take into consideration the increase in charges of electricity, water and other utilities due to unprecedented devaluation of the Rupee this year. The situation remained unpredictable and quite volatile, therefore no one could predict where we were heading, he said.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) agreed with Minister Rambukwelle’s warning. Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa said that government hospitals had experienced a significant increase in the number of people seeking treatment. The numbers would definitely go up and there was no point in denying the impending crisis, Dr. Sugathadasa said, drawing the attention of the powers that be of the difficulties experienced by the hapless public owing to the debt crisis.
Dr. Sugathadasa said that the situation was so bad some people had no option but to postpone taking treatment as they didn’t have the means to do so.
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.
