Letters
View(s):During the last two to three decades successive governments, their health ministers and health authorities were criticised for not controlling the prices of medicinal drugs in Sri Lanka. So much so that some believe this paved the way for the defeat of a powerful President of the country. On October 21 , an extraordinary gazette notification was made by the incumbent Minister of Health listing the maximum retail price of 48 medicinal drugs. Within days roles reversed. The media is full of material criticising price control of drugs now. Those who castigated branded drugs for their exorbitant prices have started to highlight the virtues of branded drugs (see page 8, Sunday Times, October 30).
Those who were already using low cost generic drugs are disappointed that their drug bills are not slashed as promised. Media who criticised the government for delays, now complain why this new mechanism was brought in a hurry without much discussion! Some think an alternative proposal made by Prof. Balasubramanium would have been better. Vociferous critics want to have the cake and eat it too.
Although Karl Marx was voted as the greatest thinker of the last millennium by BBC listeners over Albert Einstein (second) and Isaac Newton (third), most countries in the world today practise open market economic policies to varying degrees because controls promote corruption and inequality. However one may argue that medicinal drugs are a special group of consumables where such equations should not apply. I am sure those who devised the present mechanism to decide on a maximum retail price for medicinal drugs would have taken into consideration many of the ramifications of the process diligently. Therefore what we need to do now is to look for avenues to improve the proposed system minimising its disadvantages rather than criticising and rejecting it outright. Then the process would evolve into a mechanism which could resolve most of the contentious issues and society at large will be the final beneficiary. We may even develop a model that can be used by other developing countries with success. Looking at it with negativism, impatience and hatred will only worsen the situation.
Reducing the cost of drugs at the user level should be a multi pronged process. The effect of having a maximum price is just one aspect only. Already the government has informed that a quality control laboratory for drugs will be established in the country shortly. We need to follow this up as it is a much needed prerequisite to provision of quality drugs at a low price. Another important aspect of minimising the cost of drugs is to educate all stake holders about the importance and relevance of minimising the final cost of medicinal drugs to the patient. Medical personnel and media must continuously devote time and space to educate all stakeholders including pharma companies on this. The pharmaceutical industry is a hugely profit-making industry the world over and some of these giant companies are known to behave selfishly to boost their profits at the expense of helpless patients. However it is the members of the same fraternity who invest in new inventions, produce cheap alternatives and make us live longer. Therefore it is important to engage them constructively to further the cause while being aware of their scandalous behaviour.
Avoiding prescribing unnecessary drugs is also an important step in reducing the cost of drugs. In this regard, not only doctors are at fault. It is common for the patients to ask for some tablets when they are told that they do not have an illness requiring medicine! Many others do not pay attention to lifestyle measures (avoiding obesity, alcohol and smoking; having adequate rest when sick) but rely on doctors and medicinal drugs to solve their problems. Some go to the extent of believing that expensive drugs are better than cheap drugs as a rule of thumb.
According to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Bill enacted in Parliament in 2015, every medical practitioner should write the generic name of the medicine in every prescription issued by him. While implementing this clause, we can allow Rajya Osusala outlets to have a special counter to sell branded products above the maximum retail price for those who really want it and can afford the price.
Another point of contention is allocation of funds by pharmaceutical companies for use by doctors. Many of the proponents of price control of medicinal drugs assume that it would minimise this omnipresent scourge. In a world full of consumerism and commercial interests this can never be eliminated completely. It will be like expecting a newspaper to be published without advertisements promoting products having a negative effect on health! However medical doctors and institutes are expected to abide by a special code of ethics. Hence it is important to make the process transparent. One way to make this funding process transparent is to make it compulsory for the pharmaceutical companies to declare the funds allocated to all recipients publicly. We can have a link to a webpage from the National Medicinal Drugs Regulatory Authority website so that those who are interested can judge on any possible conflicts of interest. At the end we must remember that expecting a utopian society is only asking for disappointment and unhappiness.
Dr. Anuruddha Abeygunasekera
Kalubowila
amabey@sltnet.lk
Lawfully dealing with the Aava criminal group is the task of the Police
The story headlined, “Army awaiting government nod to eliminate Aava threat”, shows the dilemma the government is facing.
Army spokesman, Brig. Roshan Seneviratne has stated that the Army can come out of the camps and deal with this underworld gang if ordered by the government. Agreed. But although the Army is itching to get into action this is not its role. It is not a law-enforcement agency; and as the Army spokesman has said, the Aava group is nothing but an underworld gang. Hundreds of such criminal gangs have been wiped out in the South by the Police.
Understandably the Army’s interest has been spurred by the mention of Eelam in a recent handbill. To show links with politicians or political movements are standard ploys of criminal gangs. In neighbouring India where criminal gangs are abundant many have or profess to have connections with lawful political entities or powerful terrorist groups eg. Maoists or Khalistanis.
It is tragic indeed that politicians woo the support of criminals and the latter seek the patronage of politicians. It cannot be denied that even legitimate governments seek the support of criminal gangs to suppress opponents. Police turn a blind eye to the activities of such criminal activists. It is not unreasonable to presume that Aava has the support of many politicians and political parties in the North. The silence of the Chief Minister is also a worrying factor.
As I see it, lawfully dealing with the Aava criminal group is the task of the Police. Although not much media publicity had been given earlier it is noteworthy as reported in The Island the Kopay and Atchuvelly police have already arrested several of the gang including the leader Kumakeshan Vinodan alias Aava and seized several weapons. The gang, with the Northern politicians swimming with the tide had understandably come out of hibernation to show its existence and opposition to the alleged police killing of two Jaffna University students.
The police do not need orders from the government to act against criminals and law breakers. Given the resources and proper leadership the elimination of Aava or any other criminal underworld gangs is certainly well within the capabilities of the Sri Lanka Police. If the necessity arises the Police has the legal right to call for the assistance of the Army. The latter need not jump the gun.
The need of the hour is peace; and the Army has an equally important role to play. It was Aristotle the Greek philosopher who over 2000 years ago stated, “We make war that we may live in peace”. Five centuries later the English poet John Milton wrote to General Cromwell, “Peace hath her victories no less renowned than War”.
Downplaying peace and to keep on harping on the war for cheap political gain is also treachery. The time has dawned for political hacks to give way to honourable national leaders.
Edward Gunawardena
Via email
More on Dahanayake
Gaston de Rosayro’s piece on W.Dahanayake ( The Sunday Times Plus- October 23) reminded me of an early episode in his colourful life. W. Daha had been a classmate of my father, D.T. Devendra, at Richmond College. Years later both were in Kandy. Father was a teacher at Dharmaraja College and Dahanayake was a prisoner at Bogambara Jail – locked up by the Colonial Government for some technical (anti-war ?) ‘offence’. This was in 1942 or so. He was released not long after.
His first ‘port of call’ on being released was his old classmate, DTD. I remember a tall man, barefoot and in shabby Arya Sinhala garb walking up Cross Street, where we lived, and inquiring (in ‘good’ English) where DTD lived. I led him home and left the old friends to a long conversation over a cup of tea.
All that I remember of this conversation is that he proudly told my father that he would go barefoot for the rest of his life.
I wonder how long he stuck to this
resolution.
Tissa Devendra
Via email
Church leaders must step in to stop wastage
Apropos the picture and the news item in the Sunday Times of October 16 about the Sri Lanka Ports Authority busy making what would be the tallest Christmas Tree in the world, it is hoped that Church leaders will dissuade Minister Ranatunga from going ahead with this wasteful expenditure forthwith at a time when power cuts are imminent and the funds earmarked for this can be utilized for the benefit of the suffering masses. It is also sad that Christmas will be made a commercial symbol.
Jesus Christ came into the world not in the lap of luxury, but in a poor and lonely stable not to cater to the rich .
Merril de Silva
Moratuwa
Why the GCE A/L exam should be held in April
Recently there were several news items regarding a proposal to conduct the GCE A/L examination in April every year instead of in August. This is a welcome move. In fact, this desirable change was done 14 years ago in 2002, after careful consideration but was reversed and the exam was brought back to August in 2007 disregarding all the benefits of having the exam in April thereby affecting a large number of our students.
The GCE A/L examination is the final examination at the secondary school level and it also serves as the University admission test. This examination determines not only the selection of students to university entry but also serves as a barrier for entry into most of the tertiary education/training institutions.
Of the national examinations in Sri Lanka, the GCE A/L examination is considered the most important and most highly competitive examination, which determines the future of our youth. Furthermore, our GCE A/L examination is considered one of the most competitive examinations in the world today. Thus, any changes or adjustments will have far reaching consequences in our education system.
In this context, it is of interest to go into the history of this examination briefly. In the 1950s Higher Senior School Certificate (HSC) examination was conducted as the terminal examination at the secondary level. HSC Examination was held in December every year and it was replaced later by the GCE Advanced Level Examination in 1964. The GCE A/L examination was also held during December from 1964 to 1968. Practical examinations for those offering science subjects (e.g. Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology) were held in April. Only those who attained minimum stipulated marks for the theory papers in December were called for the practical examinations that were held in the Universities of Colombo and Peradeniya.
For the first time in the history, the GCE A/L examination was shifted to April in 1969 and was held in April until 1977. During this period yet another significant development took place. Practical examination for the science subjects was abolished in the mid- 1970s deviating from accepted international practices.
However, during this period and until 1977 it was possible to admit students who qualified for admission to universities in October the same year. Universities had a regular academic year beginning October and ending in July/August making the transition from secondary education to tertiary/university education smooth.
For the first time GCE A/L exam was shifted to August in 1978 until 2001. During 2000-2001 extensive discussions were held in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the National Education Commission to review the exam time tables in order to reduce the waiting time for students. After careful consideration of all the issues involved it was decided as follows:
(1) To commence new A/L classes in all the schools in April/May after the new year holidays with effect from 2000.
(2) To conduct the GCE A/L Examination in April with effect from 2002.
After implementation of this plan the GCE A/L exam was conducted in April every year until 2007.
Issues
When A/L examination is held in August, it is not possible to begin A/L classes for the fresh students who sat GCE O/L exam in December the previous year until September the following year. The class rooms and teachers would be available for the new students only in September. As a result, those who sat O/L examination in December wait for nearly nine months wasting valuable time in their prime years.Similarly, after A/L examination in August the students have to wait till September or October the following year for admission to Universities under normal circumstances. This state of affairs can be further aggravated in situations where there is a backlog of students waiting to enter different faculties of the universities.
Those students fortunate enough to be selected to the universities had to wait periods up to two years at home wasting their valuable time.
A disturbing feature currently prevailing in the University System is that different universities adopt different academic years/semesters due to various reasons. What is worst is that in the same university different faculties are adopting different academic years resulting in a chaotic situation in most universities. No other country in the world has such a situation in the university system. An internationally accepted fixed academic year (September/October to June/July) is being practised in all the countries in the world. Thus, this situation has to be corrected by synchronizing the academic years in all the faculties and the universities in our university system in order to obtain the best benefits from the proposed changes in the national examinations.
It is a national crime to waste years of precious time of our young generation. It is absolutely essential to implement an action plan to reduce the waiting time of students at the GCE A/L stage and at the university admission level as early as possible.
Action plan
The following action plan is proposed as a remedial measure.
(1) To commence new A/L classes in all the schools in April/May after the new year holidays with effect from 2017.
(2) To conduct the GCE A/L Examination in April with effect from 2019.
This would enable the students to commence their A/L courses immediately after the O/L results are released, thereby saving at least 6 months of their valuable time at this stage.
In April 2000 when the instructions regarding the commencement of A/L classes went to schools there was some confusion in the schools. Some school Principals, Zonal and Provincial Directors complained that it was not possible to conduct these classes in May due to lack of space and also citing various other difficulties. It was pointed out to them that the difficulty will arise only for three months (one term) from May to July in the transition period of two years – 2000 and 2001. As such, instructions were issued to them to make alternative arrangements to conduct the classes even by conducting some classes after normal school hours, in the afternoon.
Many schools welcomed this move and cooperated with the Ministry in conducting classes by making suitable alternative arrangements. As a result, other schools also fell in line and commenced their classes in May. Most teachers and principals extended their fullest cooperation. As during 2000 and 2001 some additional temporary measures may be necessary to overcome these difficulties during 2017 and 2018. However, if the Ministry decides to make this change, there is no doubt that all the parties will extend their cooperation to implement the change in the best interest of the students.
Benefits
In order to obtain the best benefits of this change it is necessary for the UGC to take an initiative and implement an action plan in consultation with the universities to adopt a fixed academic year with effect from September/October 2018. As practised internationally the academic year of the universities in Sri Lanka should begin in September/October every year and end in June/July the following year.
With the implementation of this important scheme the waiting time for university entry will be reduced to a minimum. Sri Lanka will be on par with other nations with regard to the operation of higher education system. From 2019 and thereafter those who qualify for admission to the universities based on the April A/L examination will be admitted to all universities in September/October the same year. This will continue uninterrupted with the implementation of a fixed academic year effective from October 2018.
If this plan is implemented, those who qualify for admission to universities based on the results of this exam can be admitted to universities in the same year minimizing the waiting period. This effectively saves a total of about two years of their prime life time, which can be profitably used in their higher education or professional advancement.
If and when the proposed action plan is properly implemented, a child will be able to continue his or her education from primary through secondary to tertiary education without a time lag, devoid of any interruptions, while at the same time benefiting extensively from the new features introduced through education reforms.
- Professor R.P. Gunawardane
Via email
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