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Thousands of unregistered doctors practising around the country, Trade Union warns
Colombo, Nov. 24 (Daily Mirror) - A large number of unregistered individuals — including some Western doctors — are posing as medical officers and providing treatment at the level of Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions across the country, Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights Chairman Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said.
He said many of these individuals are not registered with either the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) or the Ayurvedic Medical Council. They include unregistered Ayurvedic practitioners, health assistants, medical students, non-medical spouses of doctors, individuals trained in foreign Ayurvedic systems, pharmacists, and even those with no medical education.
According to Dr. Sanjeewa, private medical centres run by first-aid workers and unqualified individuals operate widely across the island — including in major cities. He added that several abortion centres are also being run by such fake doctors.
He said these centres could easily be raided by local health officials, but many officers are hesitant because the government has not conducted private practice inspections on doctors employed in state hospitals for some time. As a result, action against fake medical centres has stalled.
Dr. Sanjeewa further noted that these unregistered practitioners also use unapproved medicines and employ illegal treatment methods, which cannot be regulated under SLMC standards. The Government Medical Officers' Association has previously estimated that nearly 50,000 fake doctors may be operating across the country.
He said the regulation of private hospitals and medical centres has effectively collapsed and urged authorities to take immediate action.
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