Doctors lash out at govt over failure to curb lawlessness

October 5, 2011, 9:56 pm

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

Leading medical professionals yesterday lashed out at the government for failing to neutralise criminal elements targeting the law abiding citizens. They emphasised the need to take cohesive action to immediately rid the country of those anti-social elements.

Senior representatives of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), the Government Dental Surgeons’ Association (GDSA) Sri Lanka Medical Specialists Association (SLMSA) and the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) voiced their concerns at a meeting with Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena, at the ministry, where they demanded action against those responsible for Wednesday’s attack on Dr. N. J. Nonis, registrar of the Sri Lanka Medical Council. Two senior DIGs, too, attended the discussion.

Addressing the media, Assistant Secretary of the GMOA Dr. Upul Gunasekera said that they had urged Minister Sirisena to protect the medical profession against those bent on harming doctors. Dr. Gunasekera alleged that political interference had caused irreparable damage to the profession. The refusal on the part of the SLMC to recognize the Malabe Private Medical College (MPMC) had triggered a campaign targeting both the GMOA and SLMC, Dr. Gunasekera said alleging those promoting the project were responsible for the current crisis.

GMOA General Secretary Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa said that they had to call for President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s intervention due to threats and intimidation by Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake following the GMOA taking over the battle against the MPMC.

Dr. Epitakaduwa said a four-hour strike launched yesterday against the latest attack was a success. The GMOA made arrangements to treat patients at the LRH, Cancer Institute and the Maternity hospitals in spite of the trade union action, the GMOA official said.