SAITM issue still to reach a compromise

The recent recommendations put forward by the Government to solve the issue with regard to the medical degree awarding institution South Asian Institue of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) has been accepted by some associations while some have condemned it.

The Secretary of the Health Ministry Janaka Sugathadasa said that due action will be taken in the future with regard to the recommendations put forward by the special committee appointed by the President to solve the SAITM issue.

“The main concern of the Ministry of Health at present is gazetting the minimum standard of medical education”, he said.

According to Mr. Sugathadasa the Ministry together with the consultation of the Attorney Generals Deprtment is expected to gazette it before December 31st.

Commenting on the recommendations the Assistant Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Dr. Naveen De Soysa stated that abolishing SAITM is now in written form and it is a positive step towards solving the matter.

“Through the release of the recommendations  the Government has accepted that the institution is a fraud and the institution cannot award standard medical degrees”, he said.

Dr. Soysa said that the during a recent discussions with the President, he has promised to find a solution to the existing SAITM students together with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

However,  the spokesman for the  SLMC told the Sunday Times they have not discussed anything with regard to SAITM and the Council has not received an official statement but only received information through media.

The Chairman of the Comittee of Vice Chancellor Directors Prof. Ranjith Wijayawardena issued in a statement and revealed that the series of proposals can be accepted as a positive and constructive series of proposals.

The statement further stated that the decision was made considering the harmful impact made on the health sector in the country due to the absence of students from their academic work in all state universitiesfaced during the past months as well as the uncertainties created on future medical students.

The SLMC statement reads as follows

The SLMA has been deeply concerned about the prevalent situation with regards to the turmoil in medical education and the health sector in the country since Febru ary 2017.

In light of this decision by the government the SLMA as a non political, non trade union apex body representingALL grades ofthe profession in Sri Lanka calls upon;

1.' Medical students of all state medical faculties to immediately return to their respective academic activities, without any further delay.

2. The parents of medical students of all state medical faculties to encourage and ensure that their children return to their academic activities without any further delay.

3. The academic staff of all state medical faculties and their respective medical teachers' trade unions to create, ensure and sustain an environment in which students can commence and continue with their interrupted academic activities without any further delay.

4. The University Grants Commission [UGC) of Sri Lanka to ensure that all categories of staff attached to all medical faculties perform their duties as per UGC and other relevant government rules, regulations and circulars without any further delay.

5. All medical doctors in Sri Lanka to adhere to and maintain the highest standards of professionalism in providing healthcare services to the citizens of Sri Lanka without interruption.

6. The Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all agreement it reaches with all relevant stake holders to be carried out without any compromise.

The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) wishes to further reiterate it position with regards to the health services and medical education in the country as follows (Zrde SLMA position statement on health services and medical education scenario in Sri Lanka dated 2Lst February 2017)

1'. The SLMA is particularly concerned that under existing rules and regulations in the Medical Ordinance and the Universities Act the Sri Lanka Medical Council ISLMC) has only Iimited powers to regulate and ensure standards of medical education in Sri Lanka. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enact legislation to make the SLMC an independent authority with adequate powers to protect the public from unqualified or substandard medical practitioners.

2. The SLMA also wishes to state that thls organization, as the apex medical body that represents all grades of doctors in the country, is not against properly constituted and regulated Private Medical Education in the country. However, the issue of Private Medical Education in the country needs further discussion. President, SLMA 06th November 20L7

President of the Kelaniya University of Medical Teachers’ Association Prof. Ranil Fernando in their statement with regard to the recommendations states that it is a positive step towards solving the crisis faced by Medical education in the country even though there are still areas that has to be verified which they are willing to negotiate with the other stakeholders. 

Meanwhile the Convened of the Federation of Faculty of Medicine Teachers’ Association of Sri Lanka (FFMTA) condemns the recommendations and does not agree to the solutions put forward by the Government.

Prof. Chandrika Wijayaratne
President, SLMA

They believe that any solution proposed should be on the Government Policy of keeping medical education with in the Government sector.