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President wants compensation from countries that recruit Lankan docs
ECONOMYNEXT –Amid reports of rising brain drain, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed government officials to devise a strategy to seek compensation from foreign nations that recruit Sri Lankan doctors.
Speaking at a discussion with health ministry officials on Thursday August 03, President Wickremesinghe proposed that the matter be raised at World Health Organisation (WHO sessions and at other international fora.
“Can’t we make a case at the next WHO? Press it for other countries also. You’re taking our doctors. At least give us two more medical faculties,” said Wickremesinghe.
“I think together with the foreign ministry, you should make this case and we should press it at different fora,” he added.
The compensation mechanism can be similar to the Loss & Damage Fund that was established at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP27), the president said.
“Your people are leaving. That’s not our fault. England is producing so many; they’re not staying,” he said.
“Either change your system and keep your doctors or otherwise compensate us for that,” he added.
Wickremesinghe advised the officials present to discuss the matter with the Health Ministry secretary next week.
“If you get this established, you can get the engineering schools also,” he said.
A new Medical Act was also proposed at the meeting, to be formulated within six months with a view to addressing inadequacies in the existing Medical Ordinance.
The president’s media division (PMD) said in a statement that a high-level committee comprising the Secretary of Health, Legal Draftsman, and President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), has been assigned to examine the provisions of the Medical Ordinance and formulate the new Medical Act with appropriate provisions.To address immediate medical needs, an additional allocation of Rs. 30 billion was approved for medical supplies under the Provision to Ministry of Health, sufficient for the next three months, the PMD said.
On President Wickremesinghe’s directions to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) to expedite the approval process for FDA-approved drugs and reference drugs from other countries that collaborated with the Health Ministry, the NMRA sought to obtain cabinet approval to make the necessary amendments to the NMRA Act that will ensure faster access to critical medications, the statement said.
According to the statement, the meeting also resolved the issue of staff shortage at the NMRA, with the president calling for a detailed report to strengthen the role of the NMRA in regulating medical products and ensuring public health safety.
Efforts to improve medicine distribution and inventory management were discussed, with the president emphasising the need for a web-based system to provide real-time information on available medicines and their distribution among hospitals with immediate effect as discussed during the meeting two weeks ago, the PMD said.
A five- member committee led by Deputy Secretary to the Treasury A K Seneviratne was appointed to, among other tasks, devise a simple and transparent scheme for the procurement of quality drugs and medical devices, it added.
The Ministry of Health has requested the Department of Management Services to amend the Service Minute to align nurse recruitment qualifications with current healthcare requirements and, according to the PMD, the President urged at Thursday’s meeting with the health officials to consider recruiting and training individuals with Arts and Commerce Stream qualifications as nurses.
Wickremesinghe has also instructed the Health Ministry and the NMRA to draft a proposal for establishing WHO standard benchmark level 4 to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products.
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
