Borrowing specialists from one to run another hospital, with no permanent solution in sight

Urgent call to provide incentives to retain doctors and prevent state health sector collapse

Slowly but surely Sri Lanka’s health sector is beset by malaise due to the severe brain drain of medical specialists, the non-return of post- graduate specialist trainees, the potential retirement of specialists who turn 60+ and those who join either universities or the private sector.

While this is impacting the major hospitals, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) had pointed out to the Health Ministry that 40 small hospitals and medical units across the country including District Hospitals (DHs), Primary Medical Care Units ( PMCU) and Medical Officers of Health (MOH) offices have also been forced to shut down for lack of junior doctors. (See map)

Another 100 state hospitals also face closure soon, the GMOA has warned.

“We are in serious trouble in the major hospitals where specialized services are being provided,” many experts said, pointing out that the Health Ministry did not seem to have a plan to meet this dire crisis.

The ministry’s “modus operandi” seems to be to manage this crisis with Senior Registrars ( SRs) who are in local training. Is this the answer, asked many experts, stressing that SRs should mandatorily work under the supervision of the relevant and experienced consultant to get maximum training.

Another problem with depending on SRs is that within a few months they would be heading out of Sri Lanka for their foreign training, once again leaving gaping shortfalls, said a specialist.

This source said that while adequate numbers seem to be getting into a lot of specialist training programmes ( see graphic for latest list), is it fair to get them to man stations alone?

Paying tribute to hardworking SRs, the source also raised the concern of what incentives would be provided to them to return to Sri Lanka once their foreign training is concluded. This also applies to all specialists and juniors already serving the country.

Many questioned what urgent measures the authorities are taking to halt this disaster. “All talk and no action,” is what the authorities are engaged in, was the criticism by experts, who pointed out that many have been sounding a red alert about the state health sector’s crisis, but to no avail.

Has anyone given any thought to the thousands of men, women and children who access the state hospitals, asked another in desperation, referring to yet another committee being appointed by the Health Minister to look into the matter – but is there a timeframe to come up with solutions?

In the past eight months, the