Dearth of doctors in Jaffna

By N.Parameswaran

The Jaffna district is hit by a severe shortage of doctors. Though the Jaffna University has produced 1300 doctors from 1979 to 2005, there are 239 vacancies for doctors in the Jaffna district. Most of the medical students who have passed out as doctors from the Jaffna University have had their names announced at the convocation, in absentia.

The cadre approved several years ago is 79. The cadre has not been increased when the required cadre is 341, according to Jaffna Teaching Hospital sources. Former Jaffna Teaching Hospital Director Ms. Navamalar Kanagaratnam made a request over the BBC in 2002 for Tamil doctors practicing all over the world to return and serve the Jaffna people for one or two years, but no one was ready to do so.

Ninety percent of Government doctors in Jaffna are reportedly practicing in private clinics and private hospitals after duty. There are around 10 clinics operating opposite the Jaffna Hospital run by doctors. These are not clinics but actually channeling centres.

The patients channel their doctors here and are called the next day to the hospital. The consultation fees range from Rs. 310 to Rs. 350. There are also around 10 private hospitals in the Jaffna district where these doctors practice. It is reported the doctors work only four hours and unlike other employees do not sign an attendance register.

After they complete their official work they attend private clinics and private hospitals. The Jaffna University medical faculty has stated its mission was to achieve well defined objectives and motivate doctors to deliver health care to the community and participate actively in identification and investigation of regional and national health problems. When will these objectives be achieved, people in Jaffna are asking.