GMOA: People in provinces may have to travel to Colombo for treatment

by Rathindra Kuruwita

If the current crisis in the public health sector persisted for a few more months, those living in the provinces would have to travel to Colombo for treatment, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Dr. Haritha Aluthge told The Island yesterday (03).

The GMOA would start educating all stakeholders including the public on the impact of brain drain on the health sector commencing today (04) ,  he said.Dr. Aluthge said that the general public had to understand that the deterioration of the free healthcare service would adversely affect all of them.

Dr. Aluthge said that if the government did not take action to address the concerns of medical professionals, the GMOA would be compelled to resort to trade union action on 12 September.Dr. Aluthge said that 1,500 doctors had left the country last year alone. Another 5,000 were planning to leave the country, he said.