Private Medical College issue settled with SLMC?

February 10, 2012, 9:39 pm , The Island.


By Don Asoka Wijewardena

South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando told ‘The Island’ that they met Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) President Prof. Carlo Fonseka a few days ago and came to a settlement.

Dr. Fernando said that when Prof. Fonseka was informed about the construction of a teaching hospital for Malabe private medical college students, Prof. Fonseka was extremely happy. "He asked me when the hospital would be ready for clinical training. I told him that it would be ready by April in 2012."

Prof. Fonseka had suggested that if the teaching hospital was not ready by April 2012, the first batch of students should be sent to Nizhny Nogvorod State medical Academy of Russian federation (NNSMA) for clinical training. Prof. Bulanov – Vice Chancellor of the Academy and Prof. Vladimir Zabainov – Vascular surgeon and Dean of International Affairs agreed wholeheartedly to accommodate the students for one year and they could come back to Sri Lanka to continue their medical training, the SAITM Chairman said.

Dr. Fernando said that if the hospital was made ready earlier, students could return to Sri Lanka. SAITM invited Prof. Fonseka to visit Malabe PMC as early as possible as he would be able to see the teaching hospital which was being constructed adjoining the PMC.

According to Dr. Fernando, the SAITM delegation that met the SLMC President included Prof. Bulanov, Prof. Vladimir, Vice Chancellor of SAITIM Prof. Malkanthi Chandrasekara, Director Administration Dr. Sameera Senaratne and Dean the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Shanthi Gunawardana.