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| Sunday, 02 March 2003 |
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Medical specialists 'abscond' in UK, Australia : Guarantors to be penalised by Shanika Sriyananda Liyanage The Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Welfare will come down hard on those who have signed as 'guarantors' for doctors who have not returned to Sri Lanka after completing their post-graduate qualifications abroad, and will hold them financially responsible, for the cost incurred in sending these doctors overseas. Already the 'hunt' is on for the guarantors of more than 65 doctors, who have not returned to the country, despite signing guarantees, agreeing to do so upon completion of their degree. These doctors were sent to UK and Australia at government expenses. Sources at the Ministry of Health said that they were in the process of tracking down the guarantors, as a final recourse to recover the millions spent on these doctors. The sources said the guarantors will be asked to reimburse the money spent on training the doctors. Dr. Terrence de Silva, Deputy Director General of Medical Services, said that the Ministry had spent more than Rs. 2.2 million on each of these doctors who underwent foreign training. " We sent several warning letters and requested the Sri Lankan High Commissioners in Britain and Australia to inform them to reimburse the money. But, only 11 doctors have responded so far", he pointed out. Over 250 doctors, including the 2001 and 2002 batches, are undergoing training in Britain and Australia at the moment. Most of them are following post-graduate courses in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Health Ministry sources also revealed that there was a severe shortage of specialist doctors in hospitals in the North and the East as well as other provinces in the country, and attributed this to the failure of doctors to return after completing specialised training abroad, since 1983. Of the 248 vacancies for specialists in hospitals islandwide, 86 vacancies exist in hospitals in the North and East. Sources of the Ministry said that there were 33 vacancies for general surgeons and 30 general physicians. Health Department needs 248 specialists including 19 Judicial Medical Officers, 17 Obstetricians and gynaecologists, 14 chest physicians, 14 dermatologists, 13 histo-pathologists, 13 anaesthesiologists, 11 psychiatrists, 10 radiologists and 7 paediatricians. Dr de Silva confirming that there was a shortage of specialists in the North and the East said that most of the vacancies in the Jaffna General Hospital have now been filled. " There may be one or two vacancies and we are now calling for applications from those who are willing to serve in these hospitals", he said. According to Dr. de Silva vacancies in hospitals in Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara have already been filled, but shortage of specialists still exists at the Base hospitals and peripheral hospitals. |
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