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GMOA: Authorities did not heed warning of docs’ exodus
By Rathindra Kuruwita
It would take about two years for the government and the public to see the real impact of health staff leaving the country, and by the time the cracks in the healthcare system become visible, the damage will be irreversible, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), media spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told The Island on Thursday.
The GMOA and other unions had warned the relevant officials that doctors were gearing up to leave the country from at least a year ago, the GMOA spokesman said.GMOA branches across the country had informed that doctors and other health professionals had started applying for foreign jobs since the start of the economic crisis, he said.
The staff shortages in hospitals have already crippled many peripheral hospitals, Dr. Wijesinghe added.
“The Health Ministry tried to scare doctors and other health staffers by threatening to take legal action. Some even threatened to stop doctors from emigrating at the airport. These threats have obviously not worked. Anyone keeping tabs on the news would have seen that the anaesthetist specialist at Hambantota Hospital has left without even informing anyone. This is a person who is qualified from a recognized foreign university and is attached to a big hospital. Given the highway, he is only three hours away from Colombo. Why has he left without informing anyone?” Dr. Wijesinghe asked.
Hambantota Hospital needs two anesthetist specialists. However, the government had not filled a vacancy for a long time, and the doctor who left had been doing the work of two people, the GMOA spokesman said.
“He had to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now there is no one. The Director at Hambantota Hospital is trying to get other doctors to do the anesthetist specialist’s job. This is not fair to doctors or patients. Who will take responsibility if things go wrong? The shortage of anesthetist specialists is serious. The demand for consultant emergency physicians is high across the world. They also like Sri Lankans,” he said.
Various colleges of specialist doctors are receiving emails from the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK that they are willing to recruit from Sri Lanka, Dr. Wijesinghe said, adding that about 30 anesthetist specialists have left Sri Lanka in the last 18 months.
“There is no anesthetist specialist in Karawanella, Dehiattakandiya, several hospitals in Kalmunai, and Mahaoya. Soon, there will be no anaesthetist specialists in peripheral hospitals. Then it will be impossible to maintain emergency care units or any other unit that involves surgery. A specialist in anaesthesia must be present when any serious surgery is done. 842 doctors and 274 specialists have left the country between 01 June 2022 and 31 May 2023. About 250 who completed the internship didn’t accept their appointments. There were about 30 emergency care specialists, and now there are only seven. It’s obvious where this is going,” he said.
Dr. Wijesinghe mentioned that there is a systematic campaign to attack state healthcare on social media. The starting salary of a specialist is 88,000 rupees, and most of them in the periphery live in squalor, he said.
“No wonder that health staff are migrating.”
The GMOA said that apart from a few hospitals in the main cities, most state-run hospitals will have to be closed down in the next two years unless the migration of the health staff is not addressed.
“Poor people will suffer and die. Of course no one will take responsibility for the human tragedy when that happens,” he 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
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