News
Postal voting: Must for staff, says premier hospital director
Postal voting should be made essential for hospital employees in the State health sector to ensure the smooth functioning of hospitals on election 
day, National Hospital Sri Lanka (NHSL) Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.
He said releasing a large number of staff members for voting could impede the proper functioning of a hospital and the problem could be aggravated in case of large scale election related violence.
“The Government should make postal voting essential for hospital staff as is done in the case of members of the Police force and the military,” he said.
Dr.Jasinghe said the shortage of staff would affect the National Hospital most as critical patients are transferred there from all over the country.
Anuradhapura Hospital Director Dr. W. Atapattu said staff members have to be released for voting as it is mandatory to do so under the election law.
“We will be able to manage the situation but the performance of the hospital would fall below the normal level,” he said.
Kalubowila Teaching Hospital Director General Dr Lionel Muhandiramge said those who chose to exercise their postal vote have been roistered to provide a 24 hour service on election day. He said that while there would be no major disruption of services at the hospital, it would be preferable if the staff members reported for work after casting their vote.
Kandy Teaching Hospital Director Dr. R.M.S Ratnayake said arrangements have been made to deploy the staff in a manner so that patients are least inconvenienced due to a shortage of staff on election day.
Karapitya Teaching Hospital Director Shelton Perera said that it would be possible to manage election violence related causalities, if there are any, as the numbers seeking OPD treatment tend to drop on an election day. He said the accident wards and the emergency treatment units will be fully operational.
Peradeniya Children’s Hospital Director Dr. Mohamed Iqbal said the hospital’s emergency and intensive care services and the accident wards will operate without any disruption on election day.