Malaria specialists leave Lanka due to lack of appreciation

by Carol Aloysius

Sri Lanka is in danger of losing the handful of malaria specialists in the country, due to lack of appreciation by the Health Ministry for their contribution towards eliminating malaria, and bringing the malaria burden down to almost zero level.

"The dramatic reduction, which has helped the country to achieve a 99 percent reduction in the malaria case load, is due entirely to the efforts of the malaria specialists of the Anti Malaria Campaign. However, since their services have not been appreciated, most of them have now left the country and got jobs abroad," Director, Anti Malaria Campaign Dr.S.L. Deniyage told thae Sunday Observer.

He lamented that two highly qualified and experienced malaria specialists who were assisting him had sent their resignations a few days ago to take up posts abroad. "This was because their contribution and services in eliminating malaria had not been recognised", he said. He said that there was a huge demand for malaria specialists from malaria endemic countries. "They are waiting to grab such specialists and offering them very high salaries. So the Health Minister must go all out to keep the very few officers we still have in the country.

"They should involve them in all anti-malaria activities, and give them due recognition and appreciation", he said.