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Respected surgeon gives docs rap on the knuckles
Much respected retired Professor of Surgery A. H. Sheriffdeen has questioned the failure on the part of the Lady Ridgeway to promptly treat a 10-year-old, boy with a ruptured appendix due to the non-availability of a senior surgeon at the premier paediatric hospital in the country.
The incident took place on Aug 22. Dr Sheriffdeen has brought the incident to the notice of the President, College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, requesting the outfit to inquire into the incident.
The following is the text of the letter addressed to the CSSL President: “I write this letter following a bout of acute depression and a sense of hopelessness following an incident that occurred on Saturday 22nd August 2020.
I saw a 10-year-old boy at Ratnam’s Private Hospital around 11 am with an obvious clinical diagnosis of acute obstructive Appendicitis. The mother said that she could not afford treatment at a private hospital, so I gave her a letter to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, assuring her that the boy would get the best possible care. The grandmother was screaming that she would pawn all her jewellery and take prefer treatment at a private hospital, but I again reassured her that I had faith in our trainees and doctors.
On the same day, at about 8.30 pm, I got a call from the boy’s father to say that the junior doctors had told the family that the appendix had ruptured, that the boy needed major surgery by a Consultant and there was no Consultant available. No solution was offered. They were desperate and agitated.
I told them that I did not do emergency surgery at night and suggested a few names and Private Hospitals they could go to.
That was when the depression hit me. Why, I asked myself repeatedly, why am I wasting my time? Why am I wasting my time talking about professionalism and ethics? Why did I waste my time chairing the Committee that produced the Book “Professionalism and Ethics in Surgical Practice” where in Chapter 2 on “Total Patient Care” this scenario is dealt with? Do not these doctors or their near relatives have 10-year-old sons whom they care about? How would they feel if this incident occurs to them?
Why are we wasting time talking about modern techniques, recent advances, updates, laparoscopic and robotic surgery, mentoring programmes, Scientific Sessions, workshops and so on when a 10 year old is left to die from a ruptured appendix due to non-availability of a senior surgeon at the premier Paediatric Hospital in the Country – in the whole of Sri Lanka?.
Professor Milroy Paul was my Professor of Surgery. This was in the early 1960s. He had a surgical Ward in the Lady Ridgeway Hospital. I have seen him driving his old Riley car in black trousers and white dinner jacket with a black bow tie arriving at the hospital at 10 pm to do a tracheostomy in a child with Diphtheria and stridor. He obviously had been at a dinner dance. Mind you, there were no pagers, mobile phones. He always left a contact land line number in the ward and if this method failed to contact him, the registrar was expected to go to the hotel by car or taxi to summon him. He always came promptly. The patient mattered more to him than that dinner, than that dance.
The government gives duty free cars to our doctors just for this purpose. Mobile phones are freely available. Contactability is not an issue. But something is lacking, is it not? All the fancy cars, all the fancy mobile phones did not help this child in an hour of need.
That is because we lack commitment- a commitment to care, treat and cure regardless of day or time-a commitment not to betray the trust – betray the trust that mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers, sisters, children place in you.
There will be the usual explanations but they will only serve to compound the issue as trying to get explanations or hold an enquiry is usually an attempt at cover up. It needs a change of culture, a paradigm shift.
The child may have survived, but that is totally irrelevant to the issue at hand.
More ruptured appendices, acute abdomens, general, orthopedic, neurosurgical, urological, cardiothoracic, vascular etc. emergencies – more excuses; will they not end?
I am writing this as therapy for my depression. The foul taste will not go away. As a Medical administrator once said, “Patients will die, it cannot be helped!”
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
