Private medical college ready
- Written by Deepal Warnakulasuriya, The Nation.
- Sunday, 12 February 2012 07:30
The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) and the members have been invited to examine the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) to view the facilities afforded to students, SAITM Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando said in a news release.
This request follows a meeting recently held between the SLMC and SAITM at which Dr. Carlo Fonseka had inquired about the deadline to begin clinical training at the Welivita, Malabe hospital. The release further stated the SLMC chairman was informed that it would be ready by April 2012. Prof. Carlo Fonseka had then suggested that if the hospital is not ready by April the first batch of students should be sent to a University in Russia for clinical training. However, if the hospital is completed earlier, the students can return to Sri Lanka, the release adds.
Commenting on the remarks by the SLMC President, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Upul Gunasekara said the stance of the GMOA has not changed and they were still against the undue practice of establishing private medical colleges. “Prof. Carlo Fonseka as Head of the SLMC first should follow the Medical Ordinance and should not make ‘unhealthy’ remarks”, he said.
He said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena had appointed a five member committee to look into the legality of the private medical college and the report is yet to be released. He added that the Minister should definitely take action against the SLMC Head if he makes such remarks in the future. Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake issuing a gazette notification in his capacity had given recognition to the controversial private medical college in Malabe as a legitimate degree-awarding institute. It has also been empowered to award the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The SLMC, however, was not happy with the minister’s move and charged the Higher Education Ministry had not consulted the Medical Council or the Ministry of Health before giving the institute degree-awarding status.
Gunasekara also said that the SLMC should ascertain whether the institute is up to the standard under the Medical Ordinance, but they don’t see such a process.
This request follows a meeting recently held between the SLMC and SAITM at which Dr. Carlo Fonseka had inquired about the deadline to begin clinical training at the Welivita, Malabe hospital. The release further stated the SLMC chairman was informed that it would be ready by April 2012. Prof. Carlo Fonseka had then suggested that if the hospital is not ready by April the first batch of students should be sent to a University in Russia for clinical training. However, if the hospital is completed earlier, the students can return to Sri Lanka, the release adds.
Commenting on the remarks by the SLMC President, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Upul Gunasekara said the stance of the GMOA has not changed and they were still against the undue practice of establishing private medical colleges. “Prof. Carlo Fonseka as Head of the SLMC first should follow the Medical Ordinance and should not make ‘unhealthy’ remarks”, he said.
He said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena had appointed a five member committee to look into the legality of the private medical college and the report is yet to be released. He added that the Minister should definitely take action against the SLMC Head if he makes such remarks in the future. Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake issuing a gazette notification in his capacity had given recognition to the controversial private medical college in Malabe as a legitimate degree-awarding institute. It has also been empowered to award the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The SLMC, however, was not happy with the minister’s move and charged the Higher Education Ministry had not consulted the Medical Council or the Ministry of Health before giving the institute degree-awarding status.
Gunasekara also said that the SLMC should ascertain whether the institute is up to the standard under the Medical Ordinance, but they don’t see such a process.
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