Some 10 % of the intake to medical faculties in local universities are earmarked for foreign students and in fact several foreign students are following medicine here, it was revealed at the press conference held in Colombo this week to launch SLMA 2012 – Sri Lanka Medical Association International Conferences and Exhibitions. Chief Guest at the press conference, Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena, however avoided responding to the queries raised by some members of the media as to the government’s stand on the new debate over the establishment of private medical colleges in Sri Lanka.
Next year’s event would be one landmark event as SLMA, the oldest medical association across Asia and Australasia, celebrates its 125th anniversary. SLMA is planning a series of conferences covering the entire country starting with a Members Convention in Colombo in January followed by regional conferences in Jaffna, Galle, Batticaloa, Kandy and Anuradhapura and ending up with the grand finale, the SLMA Congress 2012, in Colombo in July.
The conferences will showcase the achievements of the Sri Lankan health care system to the rest of the world and also make an attempt to peruse Sri Lankan expatriate medical diaspora in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and other countries in a bid to bring them here in Sri Lanka. While the press briefing elaborated the achievements of the medical profession in Sri Lanka and went on to indicate that this country has a medical service superior to some other countries, Mr Sirisena explained the sorry state of affairs facing the state medical services indicating that due to the dearth of medical professionals, they have to close down 50 medical centres in the country.
He said that there is a reluctance of young doctors passing out of the universities to serve in the North and East and this paves one way to divide the country. He urged the young doctors to take up the challenge as a national responsibility as it is the responsibility of the government to serve these two provinces too equitably as done in the other provinces.
Prof. Vajira H. W. Dissanayake, President Elect, SLMA explained the anniversary programme and Dr. Dennis Aloysius, Past President, SLMA made the keynote address. The event was attended by other leading medical personalities in Sri Lanka.
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