SLMC President accused of attempting to disrupt CMCC appointment

Allegations have emerged that Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) President and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo, Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, is attempting to disrupt the recent appointment of Prof. Jennifer Perera as Registrar of the Ceylon Medical College Council (CMCC).

In an email sent to senior academic staff at the University of Colombo, Prof. Dissanayake questioned the legitimacy of Prof. Perera’s appointment, describing it as “irregular.” 

He claimed the appointment process had bypassed standard procedures, wherein eligible Chair Professors are first appointed to the CMCC and a Registrar is then selected by consensus.

Prof. Dissanayake further stated that many eligible professors had not been appointed to the Council. He also raised concerns about the inclusion of individuals with no affiliation to the University of Colombo—some of them retired, and others junior academics from different universities. In addition, he objected to the appointment of a non-faculty member, who is not a pharmacist, to the Council’s designated pharmacist position.

“The Director General of Health Services (DGHS), who also serves as Chair of the CMCC, conveyed his shock, disbelief, and disagreement with what had taken place,” the email read. “The Minister (it is unclear which Minister is being referred to) also had a detailed discussion with me and asked that I submit all details in writing. I have since written to the Minister and copied the letter to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, requesting that the matter be brought before the University Council for appropriate action.”

The email was sent just days after the official appointment of Prof. Perera by Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. The appointment letter was handed over by Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni. Prof. Dissanayake claimed that the appointments were made while the Health Minister, the Secretary to the Ministry, and the DGHS—who also chairs the CMCC—were overseas attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

However, sources familiar with the matter told the Daily Mirror that Prof. Dissanayake is attempting to link the University of Colombo to the CMCC in an effort to disrupt Prof. Perera’s appointment.

“This appointment was made by the Health Minister and followed all relevant procedures. So why is he making an issue out of it? He’s doing so to secure the position for himself,” a source alleged. “At one time, he held all three positions—Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Colombo University, SLMC President, and CMCC Registrar. That concentration of roles was what violated the relevant provisions.”

Prof. Dissanayake is the immediate past Registrar of the CMCC.