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| Sunday, 10 October 2004 |
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Medical Ordinance to be changed The Government Medical Officers Association was upbeat they would able to enact laws to the Medical Ordinance to make it more dynamic and efficient to deal with unqualified medical professionals. The GMOA Secretary Anuradha Padeniya said a committee led by Dr. Athula Kahandaliyana, the Director General of the Health Services was appointed to make recommendations to this effect. According to a survey carried out by a former Health Minister M.H.M. Fowize there are over 40,000 unqualified personnel (quacks) practising as Medical officers throughout the country and that would endanger the lives of thousands of people, Padeniya pointed out. "The worse still there are scores of 'specialists' practising countrywide without required qualifications," he said. "The Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is also in the same wave length as we do, and we are optimistic the committee recommendation will help to overcome the present crisis, Padeniya said. The issue came to the forefront when a group of Assistant Medical Officers (AMO) sought legal assistance to get the Medical Council registration as postgraduate qualified Medical Officers. According to GMOA, in 1997 a group of 40 odd AMOs were granted three years paid leave to follow a Medical Degree in Russia. But the AMOs had returned after six months calming they had completed a postgraduate degree in Medicine. "It was strange how the Health Ministry officials of that time expected them to follow a seven year medical degree in three years, the stranger still within six months they (the AMOs) have completed a postgraduate degree even without the basic degree in Medicine," Padeniya asked. Considering the application of the AMOs the Courts has issued a ruling to follow the normal procedure for registration, the GMOA said. "We want to protect innocent patients from the clutches of unqualified people who pretend to be competent professionals," Padeniya added.He said the GMOA is studying the structures and laws governing the Medical Councils of the other countries. |
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