‘Harassment of GMOA’: Malabe PMC denies its involvement

October 2, 2011, 10:07 pm

Responding to the alleged harassment faced by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) official working against the private medical college at Malabe, the South Asian Institute of Technology Management which runs the college said that they have no connection to the reported activities.

Speaking to the media, the Director of SAITM’s medical faculty, Dr. Sameera Senaratne said, "We have no connection whatsoever to the harassment faced by the GMOA officials. Our Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando being a principled person never even encourages such activities by our part".

Dr. Senaratne said that the GMOA is trying to draw the connection to tarnish the positive progress achieved so far by the Private Medical Faculty.

"GMOA has been spreading rumors and false reports on our standards, but up to date no official from the GMOA stepped in to SAITM to look into the standards despite there being an open in invitation on our side", he added.

The GMOA also claimed that the Health Ministry commission investigating SAITM has ordered the private medical faculty to stop enrolling students until the commission report is submitted in two months time.

Denying the reports Dr. Senaratne said order is unheard of.

"We have not been officially informed of any such order. Besides we have completed enrolling students for the new academic year and we will not be taking in any new batch until next year", he said.

Angry docs to strike over govt targeting Dr.Padeniya

October 2, 2011, 10:06 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) members are likely to strike tomorrow (Sept.4) even if its President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya’s personal file taken from the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Borella is returned today.

This was hinted when

an irate GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Upul Gunasekera said yesterday that the government wouldn’t be allowed to get away with the ongoing media blitz targeting the doctors. The government had been harassing GMOA members due to their criticism of Malabe Private Medical College (PMC), he claimed.

Earlier the GMOA said that it wouldn’t resort to trade union action if the file was sent back to the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Borella, where Dr. Padeniya is based, before 12.00 noon today.

The Bribery Commission removed Dr. Padeniya’s personal file from the LRH on Sept. 26 to check leave taken by him to go abroad for higher studies.

The GOMA executive committee would meet today at 11.00 am to decide on trade union action, Dr. Gunasekera said.

Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena assured that Dr. Padeniya’s personal file was safe at the health ministry.

The SLFP General Secretary dismissed allegations that it had been taken away by the Bribery Commission. According to him, the file remained with the official handling personal files at the ministry.