Doctor shortage in conflict areas

Some of the doctors posted to hospitals in the North and East in recent years had failed to take up their appointments creating a grave doctor shortage in those areas. Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva conceded that outside Jaffna and a few other major towns in the Northern and Eastern Provinces the health services were badly affected due to a shortage of doctors.

He said he was helpless as when he tried to appoint 80 to 100 doctors who passed out of the Jaffna Medical Faculty each year, exclusively to the Northern and Eastern Provinces at the request of TNA Parliamentarians, the Government Medical Officers Association insisted he should go by the All-Island Merit List.

Besides, the Minister said 95 per cent of those passing out from the Jaffna Medical Faculty opted to serve in areas outside the North and East. The result was that many who were posted to North and East resigned and joined the private sector or went abroad. “Our education is free and they are also free to leave once they qualify. They have no sense of duty to serve the country that brought them to this position”, Mr. de Silva said.

According to a confidential document submitted to the Health Ministry, about the urgent requirement of doctors in areas where the displaced are being resettled, the picture is very grim. At Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee there isn’t a single MBBS qualified doctor. At Kiliveddi, where two doctors are required, there is only a Registered Medical Officer, Vakarai needs two doctors but only one is there.

In the Batticaloa district Kathiraveli, Mankerni and Unnichchai are without a single doctor. ThoughMandur requires two doctors, only one is there. Palukamam needs two doctors but is served only by a RMO.

The Health Minister however is hopeful that with improved security more doctors from the new batch of medical graduates who will receive their appointments within the next two to three weeks, would opt to serve in these areas.