GMOA threatens to sue Rajitha

15 January 2016 11:46 am

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) warned today it would take legal action against Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and the Health Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickrama next week for permitting the Malabe Private Medical University to carry out clinical training at government hospitals.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Navin de Soysa said they were currently consulting legal opinion on this matter.

He told a news conference that they had decided to take action against the minister because he had ignored the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) recommendations on the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).

He claimed that the SAITM did not have the basic infrastructure facilities so as to function as a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka.

“Obtaining degrees from a substandard university will result in inferior doctors being produced with at the risk of patients' lives. If the minister's eyes are focussed on Avant Garde and on corrupt politicians, why is he silent on the SAITM controversy? Even the President has told us that he would not allow private medical education in Sri Lanka. The minister cannot go beyond the president’s word,” Dr. de Soysa said. (Piyumi Fonseka)