Tax payers spend over Rs. 4 mn to produce a doctor: Minister

7 September 2023 01:20 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 28 Bookmark

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Taxpayers of this country spend around Rs. 4 million to produce a doctor in Sri Lanka, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today.

He told Parliament that people have to spend some Rs. 4,092,915 for a medical student to complete his or her studies of five years in the university.

"This amounts to Rs. 68,215 per month," he said while speaking during the debate on the no-confidence motion on Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

He said taxpayers also spend some Rs. 2.1 million for an engineering student, Rs. 1 million for a management student and Rs. 1.3 million for an arts student.

The Minister said this while referring to the incident where medical officers in the Kegalle Hospital were leaving the country.(Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)

Comments - 28

BuffaloaCitizen Thursday, 07 September 2023 01:38 PM

This is why higher education should not be FOC. Have a education loan for all students who are selected to Government Universities and give them a 15y loan pay back time with interest of 2% to fund their University Education. Once they finish University in 4 or 5Y, they start working and begin paying back the loan in 10y. All those ragging and Unions will vanish because the longer they stay inside the Uni, the closer they get to the deadline of paying back their loan.

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Gunadasa Thursday, 07 September 2023 01:43 PM

So get them to sign a bond to serve the country for specific number of years. Signing bond should be done before starting the university education and not after completion.

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Be Fair Thursday, 07 September 2023 02:01 PM

now that we know this, can you also tell us how much is wasted to maintain a MP for a month. That will show us how many Doctors are missing the opportunity

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KP Thursday, 07 September 2023 02:03 PM

And that money is paid back in the first year of internship working 24/7 for just an allowance. Also while buying a car even for the permit, a similar amount is still paid as tax. Free education is not a student loan system. If so you should’ve said so when entering medical school.

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DD Thursday, 07 September 2023 02:05 PM

To become a doctor, you need an MD or MBBS degree. The cost of around 4 million rupees ($14,000) is a worthwhile investment in producing quality doctors. In Western countries, it typically costs 15 to 20 times more to produce a doctor with similar qualifications. I encourage President RW to collaborate with alma maters connections, RCU, ROCOBANA, UK, Canada, and Australia teams to make this happen for our country. You have expert teams in this field already with you, and it's a wise investment that can bring significant returns to our nation in terms of healthcare and economic benefits.

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Anti biotic Thursday, 07 September 2023 02:09 PM

Time to start private medical colleges

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Nimal Thursday, 07 September 2023 02:50 PM

and you guys make them run away.

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Gamini Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:01 PM

It is the tax payer NOT the govt. that funds these students education. What does the tax payer get in return? We pay exorbitant consultation fees to these doctors whom we spent money to educate

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manel Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:03 PM

Should develop a system whereby the tax payer gets benefit of paying this tax. May be a credit card which he can use while consulting a doctor or for hospitalization to the value of Rs.4M

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Azam Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:04 PM

and after qualifying they start private practice, go on a strike at the drop of a hat demanding various unreasonable things and but the most expensive of luxury apartments without paying tax on their earnings

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Wu Wu zela Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:05 PM

And mothers do it for free.

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Appuhamy Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:09 PM

So when 4 million is deposited on one side of the machine, a doctor will come from the other side of the machine??? Baseless talks by brainless politicians. Who broke the economy of this country? Is it the university students??

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Supun Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:10 PM

Professionals are leaving cause politicians have created a mess in this country.. they are looking at the futures of their kids and families… can’t blame them. You created this mess

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Jayantha Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:18 PM

It is an investment. Probably use it as a loan that has to be settled in 30 to 40 years maximum by all government graduates. What about jokers like this frog. How much of tax payers money wasted has his fuel,vehicle and salary. No one talks abou it. 225 uses fuel heavily from tax payers money. Those things should be recovered too by future government as those are utter waste of public money.

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Sokrates Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:26 PM

Then make a law that a doctor has to work in a government hospital for 4 years after the training. If she/he doesn't do this, the 4 million will have to be paid back, which would be possible without any problems if employed abroad.

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A Ratnayake Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:33 PM

Sri Lanka spends Rs 4 million to produce a junior doctor (not a specialist). Australian government spends Australian dollars 240,000 (equals to Rs 49 million) to produce a doctor. Yet, like in Sri Lanka, Australian doctors do not have to sign a bond or a similar agreement. They can walk away from the job anytime, and some do. However, the difference between Australia and Sri Lanka is that the majority of Australian doctors want to remain in Australia and work while Sri Lankan doctors, other professionals such as engineers, accountants, IT professionals and non-professionals do not want to remain in Sri Lanka as they cannot stand the ongoing disastrous political and economic situation anymore. Please compare the above numbers with the Rs 300-600 million each MP in Sri Lanka wastes in their lifetime.

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Dee Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:34 PM

Only? That’s why the products are so cheap!

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Service of a doctor cannot be priced Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:34 PM

The commitment and hard journey to become a doctor are immense, that cannot be counted, these stupid ministers dont understand... dont spend and waste money for stupid politicians, instead spend on educated professionals to satisfy them if you want their service

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Jonklaas Thursday, 07 September 2023 03:42 PM

This disastrous situation wouldn't have arisen if the Politicians didn't bring this country to the present state of misery. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has said that a sum of over Rs.4 million is spent on producing a doctor. As someone has asked, how much of TAXPAYER'S money is wasted per month on maintaining a Minister, State Minister or other MPs most of whom are just a burden to the economy.

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sam Thursday, 07 September 2023 04:01 PM

University education in medicine and engineering should not be at the taxpayers expense.

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Sam Thursday, 07 September 2023 04:10 PM

wow, 1 million per tax payer!

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Best Thursday, 07 September 2023 04:12 PM

No politician migrated from this country due to economic crisis these greedy parasites can only survive in this land

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Max Thursday, 07 September 2023 04:44 PM

how much is spent on these politicians every month-investment with no return

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Dr.Rukmal Seneviratne Thursday, 07 September 2023 05:35 PM

only a doctor knows the hardship and the effort one has to bear to qualify as a doctor. All students were given equal opportunities from the primary grades to A levels. But only those who became doctors and other professional made full use of them. During internship we have worked for over 48hous without a break. The stresses and strains borne by young doctors is beyond description. After all this effort a govt doctor's pay is less than that of a junior executive in the private sector. So can you blame doctors for seeking a better future for their families by going oversea?. The minister as usual is talking through his hat!.

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Someone has to pay always(nothing comes free) Friday, 08 September 2023 02:41 AM

Even rich countries like Australia deduct around $3000 per year from a junior medical officers salary from the intern year onwards until they pay off the cost while working.Today SL gov has become the "free" doctor producer for rich countries like above. This is because of the confusion generated around the term "free education" misinterpreted as " no fee education " rather than the original meaning "Freedom to education" prevailing amongst sri Lankans. Government should just follow atleast the above Australian method of" pay as you earn" .If Australia is a choice destination for our free educated doctors why not start implementing above model right here in SL ...over to the minister..gazette it pls

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Zaza Friday, 08 September 2023 09:21 AM

Yes, we spend five million to produce an MBBS Doctor, how many million taxpayers' money is spent to maintain the 225. The important question is why are they leaving?

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ANNECUNT Friday, 08 September 2023 12:38 PM

A government minister loots 4 billion from the tax payer

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Joker Saturday, 09 September 2023 06:52 AM

But we spend 4 billion and counting to produce a minister.

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