By Olindhi Jayasundere
Tuesday’s assault on Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) Registrar N.J. Nonis triggered a fresh round of protests by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) which launched a countrywide token strike yesterday urging President Mahinda Rajapaksa to investigate the matter and punish those responsible.
The GMOA said the attack against Dr. Nonis was
not only a threat to the medical professionals in Sri Lanka but also to the rest of the country as such attempts to harm emminent medical professionals could severely damage the medical sector in Sri Lanka.
“The SLMC is a government institution responsible for medicine and health education in Sri Lanka. Any threat made to SLMC officials is a threat to the country’s health sector.
We are asking the President to intervene in this matter and resolve these issues,” GMOA spokesman Upul Gunasekara said. He said before Dr. Nonis was assaulted he was shown a document with his name and the names of three GMOA committee members.
Dr. Gunasekera said the GMOA had received the support of the Government Dental Surgeons Association, specialists and members of the Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA).
The GMOA has requested the Health Ministry to provide police protection to all SLMC members including its Chairman Lalitha Mendis, GMOA members and Deans of universities so as to ensure their safety.
“The attack on Dr. Nonis may be connected to the recent controversy over the Malabe Private Medical College issue or an attack by those affected by the Examination for Registration to Practice Medicine in Sri Lanka (ERPM) the results of which were released recently. Either way, it has been done by a party that was affected by activities that Dr. Nonis was involved in,” GMOA Secretary Chandika Epitakaduwa said.
He said the GMOA Executive Committee would be meeting today to discuss what steps to take next and said the Association was already discussing this matter with lawyers on taking legal action against Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake’s recent statement that GMOA President Anuruddha Padeniya was not suitable to work as a doctor.
“In what capacity or based on what credentials is the minister making such statements about medical professionals or taking decisions on behalf of the Health Sector in this country? Rash statements such as these made by such officials have led to more problems now,” Dr. Gunasekara said and added that Dr.Nonis had returned to work at the SLMC.
Meanwhile the Medical Faculty Students Action Committee comprising local medical faculty students from around the country went on a countrywide protest against the assault on Dr. Nonis yesterday.
“The SLMC is the monitoring body of the health sector in Sri Lanka and in many ways is far more important than parliament itself. We are calling on the authorities to carry out an inquiry and address the problems in local universities as opposed to private medical institutions that do not deserve legal recognition,” Action Committee Convener Nilan Fernando said.
Meanwhile,the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), the private medical institution in Malabe, yesterday, condemned the assault on the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) registrar Dr. N. J. Nonis and categorically denied any involvement in it.
SAITM director Dr. Sameera Senaratne said that the institution had had no connection with the attack and that it was unlikely that the attack had been planned by an interested party to disrupt the progress of the private medical college.
“We strongly condemn the attack on Dr. Nonis as he has always been cooperative in the progress of our medical faculty. Also we firmly deny the allegation that SAITM instigated the attack,” said Dr. Senaratne. He said that SAITM was in favour of an independent inquiry into the incident.
“Dr. Nonis is a personal friend of mine and of other doctors employed at SAITM. He has always been working in cooperation with SAITM. We have no desire to injure a friend. And our chairman, Dr. Neville Fernando would never condone such an act,” he said.
One suspect arrested
By SupunDias
A suspect was yesterday arrested in connection with Tuesday’s assault on Sri Lanka Medical Council
One suspect arrested Registrar N.J. Nonis outside his residence. The suspect is a resident of Kaludawala in Panadura.
Dr. Nonis had been allegedly assaulted by two motorcyclists who accosted him to ask for directions when he got out of his car outside his home at Jacob Mendis Road in Moratuwa.
Dr. Nonis is alleged to have been assaulted with a wooden pole.Police media spokesman Maxie Proctor said the second suspect appeared to have fled the area while the suspect in custody was produced in court.
Tuesday’s assault on Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) Registrar N.J. Nonis triggered a fresh round of protests by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) which launched a countrywide token strike yesterday urging President Mahinda Rajapaksa to investigate the matter and punish those responsible. The GMOA said the attack against Dr. Nonis was
not only a threat to the medical professionals in Sri Lanka but also to the rest of the country as such attempts to harm emminent medical professionals could severely damage the medical sector in Sri Lanka.“The SLMC is a government institution responsible for medicine and health education in Sri Lanka. Any threat made to SLMC officials is a threat to the country’s health sector.
We are asking the President to intervene in this matter and resolve these issues,” GMOA spokesman Upul Gunasekara said. He said before Dr. Nonis was assaulted he was shown a document with his name and the names of three GMOA committee members.
Dr. Gunasekera said the GMOA had received the support of the Government Dental Surgeons Association, specialists and members of the Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA).
The GMOA has requested the Health Ministry to provide police protection to all SLMC members including its Chairman Lalitha Mendis, GMOA members and Deans of universities so as to ensure their safety.
“The attack on Dr. Nonis may be connected to the recent controversy over the Malabe Private Medical College issue or an attack by those affected by the Examination for Registration to Practice Medicine in Sri Lanka (ERPM) the results of which were released recently. Either way, it has been done by a party that was affected by activities that Dr. Nonis was involved in,” GMOA Secretary Chandika Epitakaduwa said.
He said the GMOA Executive Committee would be meeting today to discuss what steps to take next and said the Association was already discussing this matter with lawyers on taking legal action against Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake’s recent statement that GMOA President Anuruddha Padeniya was not suitable to work as a doctor.
“In what capacity or based on what credentials is the minister making such statements about medical professionals or taking decisions on behalf of the Health Sector in this country? Rash statements such as these made by such officials have led to more problems now,” Dr. Gunasekara said and added that Dr.Nonis had returned to work at the SLMC.
Meanwhile the Medical Faculty Students Action Committee comprising local medical faculty students from around the country went on a countrywide protest against the assault on Dr. Nonis yesterday.
“The SLMC is the monitoring body of the health sector in Sri Lanka and in many ways is far more important than parliament itself. We are calling on the authorities to carry out an inquiry and address the problems in local universities as opposed to private medical institutions that do not deserve legal recognition,” Action Committee Convener Nilan Fernando said.
Meanwhile,the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), the private medical institution in Malabe, yesterday, condemned the assault on the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) registrar Dr. N. J. Nonis and categorically denied any involvement in it.
SAITM director Dr. Sameera Senaratne said that the institution had had no connection with the attack and that it was unlikely that the attack had been planned by an interested party to disrupt the progress of the private medical college.
“We strongly condemn the attack on Dr. Nonis as he has always been cooperative in the progress of our medical faculty. Also we firmly deny the allegation that SAITM instigated the attack,” said Dr. Senaratne. He said that SAITM was in favour of an independent inquiry into the incident.
“Dr. Nonis is a personal friend of mine and of other doctors employed at SAITM. He has always been working in cooperation with SAITM. We have no desire to injure a friend. And our chairman, Dr. Neville Fernando would never condone such an act,” he said.
One suspect arrested
By SupunDias
A suspect was yesterday arrested in connection with Tuesday’s assault on Sri Lanka Medical Council
One suspect arrested Registrar N.J. Nonis outside his residence. The suspect is a resident of Kaludawala in Panadura.
Dr. Nonis had been allegedly assaulted by two motorcyclists who accosted him to ask for directions when he got out of his car outside his home at Jacob Mendis Road in Moratuwa.
Dr. Nonis is alleged to have been assaulted with a wooden pole.Police media spokesman Maxie Proctor said the second suspect appeared to have fled the area while the suspect in custody was produced in court.
The Sri Lanka Medical Council launched a token strike against the attack on Dr. N. J. Nonis. The doctors of the GMOA are to support the strike. One suspect has been arrested, sources say.