GMOA, Prof. Carlo changed Sherifdeen Committee recommendations: SB

The Prof. Sherifdeen committee appointed on the initiative of the Sri Lanka Medical Council to go into the Malabe Private Medical College recommended that students passing out from the College should be registered in the SLMC and given the right to practice as doctors.

But this recommendation made in the final page of the report was changed due to the pressure exerted by Prof. Carlo Fonseka and the GMOA, Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Villages Minister S. B. Dissanayake said.

Speaking to the Media after participating in a ceremony at Pilimatalawa, Kandy on July 1 Minister Dissanayake said he had made a major Contribution towards strengthening free education as Minister of Higher Education in the previous government. Among them was the increase of the intake to universities from 17,000 to 27,000 students. His ultimate motive was to increase it to 50,000.

He said at that time 8 Engineering degree awarding institutes and 11 Management degree awarding institutes were registered at that time the gazette notification setting up the Malabe Medical College was also issued under his name. Furthermore the Buddhist Academy at the Sri Dalada Maligawa was also awarded degree awarding status. All this was done with the full support of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who held office as President.

Out of nearly 300,000 students sitting A/L examination about 175,000 obtained sufficient marks to enter universities but only about 27000 finally gained the opportunity to gain admission. Another 8000 or so students registered for degree courses at private institutions.

A considerable number of students went abroad to gain medical degrees. The Malabe Private Medical College was instituted under a correct procedure with full legal status and foundation and it gained the approval of the Deans of all Medical faculties as well as the UGC after 18 rounds of inspections.

When problems cropped up regarding this at a later stage the Prof. Sherifdeen Committee was appointed but that report was distorted at the behest of Prof. Carlo Fonseka and the GMOA.

If the SLMC denied registration to medicos passing out from the Mabale Medical College the Minister of Health had the right to take a decision about it as done by late Mrs Renuka Herath and A. H. M. Fowzie when they were Ministers of Health at various times. But the incumbent Health Minister without acting on his own had taken a more democratic decision by referring the matter to the supreme Court for a final decision.

Minister Dissanayake said almost 95 percent of doctors who are members of the GMOA opposed the autocratic moves of the GMOA hierarchy which protested against the Malabe Medical College.

If the clinical practice was insufficient for Malabe students the government intervened to provide more clinical practice.

It was most regrettable to see the GMOA arguing that the Malabe students lacked clinical experience after obstructing government attempts to provide them with rigorous clinical experience.

If the GMOA stated that the country did not require private medical Colleges it should agree to ban private channelling practice for government doctors who have been educated with public funds.

Dissanayake said children of certain JVP leaders studied in Private Universities and children of about 100 doctors were studying at the Malabe Medical College. 

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post