News
GMOA blames rampant corruption for health sector woes
… asks Minister to show sincerity by sacking culprits
By Rathindra Kuruwita
One of the main reasons for the sorry state of affairs in the health sector is corruption and the Health Minister must show his sincerity by sacking senior officials who are facing serious allegations, Dr. Haritha Aluthge, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), told The Island.
Dr. Aluthge added that health officials had ignored the repeated warnings of professional organisations, and there were allegations that they subjugated the interests of the public to personal gain.
“When a drug is found to have serious side-effects, the Health Ministry suspends its use. Health sector professionals are struggling to cope with drug and staff shortages and fears over the quality of drugs. I think members of the general public must come forth and pressure officials to address these serious issues,” he said.
About a year ago, the health sector revealed that 120 types of drugs were out of stock. Dr. Aluthge said. This week, the Health Minister himself admitted that 190 drugs are in short supply.
“The Health Ministry also employs many officials accused of serious corruption. Allegations against the National Medicines Regulatory Authority are serious. The Minister must show his good intentions by sacking those who face serious charges. If not, the public trust in the healthcare system will collapse,” he said.
Chairman of the Government Radiological Technologists Association (GRTA) Chanaka Dharmawickrama said linear accelerator, a machine that aims radiation at cancer cells with pinpoint accuracy, sparing nearby healthy tissue, was the most advanced technology the cancer hospital had and the machine that was used to treat children was out of order.
“We have five such machines at Apeksha Hospital. One has broken down, and this is the machine we use to treat children. We used to treat 10-15 children daily using this machine. Now, we cannot treat anyone.”
Using a linear accelerator in the private sector would cost anything between 500,000 to 1,500,000 rupees, depending on the type of cancer and complications, he said.
“There is also a problem with the PET scan. We need a chemical to use in FDG PET scans that help radiologists distinguish between healthy tissue and diseased tissue so that cancer can be accurately diagnosed, correctly staged, and appropriately treated. This chemical is no longer available. We have not been doing tests from 26 May 2023. A tender was called and a new supplier was selected, but he has not supplied the chemical,” he said.
Dharmawickrama said that the PET scanner must always be available because there is a long list of people waiting to be tested. The PET scan was bought with public donations, and the state has only to maintain it.
“The hospital administration knows when it should call for tenders for various requirements. We all know how long it takes,” Dharmawickrama said.
The CT scanner at the accident ward in the National Hospital, too, has broken down, Dharmawickrama said. This is an old machine, and there is a debate on whether this should be replaced, he said. However, given that the accident ward needs a CT scanner, the machine should be brought online soon, he said.
One of the three machines in the Cardiac catheterisation unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), too, had broken down a few months ago, Dharmawickrama said, adding that the NHSL had an eight-month waiting list for tests related to heart issues, he said.
“The other hospitals, too, are facing problems. One of the two machines used for coronary angiograms in the Kandy General Hospital has broken down. The hospital also has two linear accelerator machines to treat cancer patients. However, due to a problem with the cooling system, these machines have not been used since November 2022,” he said.
The CT machine at the Badulla Hospital has also broken down, and patients are being taken to Nuwara Eliya and Monaragala hospitals at great cost, Dharmawickrama said. The CT machine was relatively new and still under warranty, but the hospital had not signed a post service agreement with the supplier.
“Once the service agreement with the supplier is signed, the company will replace the x-ray tube in the machine. We probably have spent more than 4.9 million to transport patients. Before that, we spent 2.5 million a week to get tests done through the private sector when both CT scanners at Karapitiya Hospital broke down. Now, one machine works,” he said.
Commenting on the problems with machinery, Dr. Aluthge said that there was rampant corruption in the health sector. Therefore, it was not possible to brush aside allegations that health administrators were deliberately undermining the state healthcare system for the benefit of the private sector.
“Most of the health administrators have been in the system for decades, and they like to maintain the system as it is. If a test is not available in the state sector and if it is a life-or-death situation, people will even sell their houses and get tests done in the private sector. We need to overhaul the entire system,” Dr. Aluthge 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
