- GMOA and AMS call for corrective action on specialist
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) yesterday urged law enforcement authorities to do justice to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital Senior Oncologist Dr. Krishantha Perera, who was remanded for allegedly assaulting a female junior staff member last week.
The oncologist was arrested by the Police and remanded till today (22). Following a complaint filed by Dr. Perera, three staff members of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital including a woman were arrested yesterday (21).
Following the senior consultant reportedly handing over his notice of retirement to the Health Ministry, GMOA officers attached to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital threatened to take trade union action in the future unless necessary action was taken against the people who allegedly assaulted the surgeon during the particular dispute.
Speaking to the media, GMOA Karapitiya Branch Co-secretary Dr. Dinesh Yapa urged the relevant authorities to take necessary action in this regard.
Meanwhile speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, ASM Treasurer Senior Consultant, Dr. Dileepa Amarasuriya said that the functions of the oncology surgery unit of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital could be hampered if Dr. Perera retired, as he is the seniormost consultant oncologist currently working in the Southern Province. She opined that health authorities and the public should take steps to protect such senior medical officers with experience at a time when the country is experiencing a shortage of oncosurgeons following the exodus of many specialists during the past several years.
“He is the one who is instrumental in establishing the only palliative care centre for the whole country and he is working to build a new cancer unit for Karapitiya Teaching Hospital using funds given by donors through several projects. Unfortunately, this dedicated surgeon has had to face baseless allegations at this critical juncture,” Dr. Amarasuriya explained.
The ASM Treasurer pointed out that the service of a senior consultant oncologist is much needed for a teaching hospital like Karapitiya, which is the only teaching hospital and hospital with an oncology unit in the Southern Province.
“There are only 10 oncology surgery centres in the country. Those are in Maharagama, Ragama, Karapitiya, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Ratnapura, Badulla, Kurunegala, Batticaloa, and Jaffna.
“There are six positions in the Maharagama oncology surgery unit, but only four oncologists are working now since two consultants have already migrated. There are three oncosurgeons in Karapitiya Hospital, including Dr. Perera. He is the only senior consultant, and if he retired, there would be only two consultants for the entire province.
“All the other units are running with one or two consultants, which is also a difficult situation. Next year, three consultants out of the remaining consultant oncologists should retire at age 63 and then there will be a severe shortage of consultant oncologists. Five vacancies have already been reported and no newly board-certified consultants are eligible for the 2024 list in the country thus far,” she said.
Against this backdrop, consultants, doctors, nurses, and residents of the area launched a demonstration yesterday demanding justice for Dr. Perera in relation to his arrest. The doctors and residents said that Dr. Perera should be protected for the betterment of the hospital and the entire province.
Dr. Perera, 61, was arrested for purportedly assaulting a female junior staff member during a contentious situation that had ensued on Wednesday (17) morning. He was accused of assaulting the said staff member during a heated argument between him and other junior staffers after he slammed them for disrupting hospital services by going on a token strike the day before.
The hospital’s authorities had brought the situation under control. However, a female junior staff member got herself admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital claiming to have been assaulted by the senior oncologist who was subsequently arrested and remanded until today on the orders of the Galle Magistrate.
Several attempts made by The Daily Morning to contact the Director General of Health Services in this regard proved futile.