By Sarah Hannan
For a country that needs a capacity of 42,000 doctors, Sri Lanka is currently running on half capacity, All Ceylon Medical Officers Association (ACMOA) General Secretary Dr. Jayantha Bandara said.
Speaking to The Morning, Dr. Bandara said that while there are enough and more medical students who graduate from local universities, only a fraction of them continue to work in state-run healthcare institutions.
“For years, despite many requests made by our medical officers, successive governments failed to improve the basic requisites in state-run hospitals in order for people in the medical profession to willingly engage in state-run hospitals.
“There are issues from salaries to the shortage of support and supplementary staff. The most worrying is that brain drain continues to take place, as once the medical practitioner gets their MBBS certification, they seek better prospects in other countries.” Dr. Bandara noted.
He suggested that a lot of restructuring needs to happen in the healthcare sector; it is not only the medical officers that are in short supply but also other staff as well that would ensure that the hospitals function at an optimum level, he added.
When asked about the association’s thoughts on suggestions the previous Government made pertaining to bringing in medical practitioners from India or other countries to fulfil the medical workforce requirement, Dr. Bandara said that Sri Lanka produces sufficient medical practitioners every year, and because the government fails to improve their working conditions, they decide to leave the country.
He also pointed out that some medical officers take leave so they can practice medicine in other countries over short tenures with the ultimate aim of improving their living and working standards.Low working standards causing doctor shortage in state sector
02 Sep 2020
Low working standards causing doctor shortage in state sector
02 Sep 2020
By Sarah Hannan
For a country that needs a capacity of 42,000 doctors, Sri Lanka is currently running on half capacity, All Ceylon Medical Officers Association (ACMOA) General Secretary Dr. Jayantha Bandara said.
Speaking to The Morning, Dr. Bandara said that while there are enough and more medical students who graduate from local universities, only a fraction of them continue to work in state-run healthcare institutions.
“For years, despite many requests made by our medical officers, successive governments failed to improve the basic requisites in state-run hospitals in order for people in the medical profession to willingly engage in state-run hospitals.
“There are issues from salaries to the shortage of support and supplementary staff. The most worrying is that brain drain continues to take place, as once the medical practitioner gets their MBBS certification, they seek better prospects in other countries.” Dr. Bandara noted.
He suggested that a lot of restructuring needs to happen in the healthcare sector; it is not only the medical officers that are in short supply but also other staff as well that would ensure that the hospitals function at an optimum level, he added.
When asked about the association’s thoughts on suggestions the previous Government made pertaining to bringing in medical practitioners from India or other countries to fulfil the medical workforce requirement, Dr. Bandara said that Sri Lanka produces sufficient medical practitioners every year, and because the government fails to improve their working conditions, they decide to leave the country.
He also pointed out that some medical officers take leave so they can practice medicine in other countries over short tenures with the ultimate aim of improving their living and working standards.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!