The Acting Chief Medical Officer of the Welikada Prison Hospital, Dr.Nirmali Thenuwara was ordered to be transferred to the Colombo National Hospital by Health Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne yesterday.
The decision had been taken by the minister following concerns raised by 19 doctors attached to the Prison Hospital about the conduct of Dr.Thenuwara.
The 19 doctors attached to the Prison Hospital had arrived at the Health Ministry obtaining medical leave and handed over a 26 point report to Minister Senaratne which outlines the details of professional misconduct by the current Acting Chief Medical Officer. Following the discussion with the doctors, the Health Minister had instructed the Acting Director General of Health Services Dr.Jayasundara Bandara to transfer the Acting Chief Medical Officer of the Welikada Prison Hospital to the National Hospital, Health Ministry Media Director Prasanna Adhikari said in a statement.
“The team of doctors asked for a CID investigation on the issue and Minister Senaratne will forward a letter to the IGP with the signature of the Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. Jayasundara Bandara requesting a CID investigation,” he said.
J. K. Malwatta will be appointed as the Acting Chief Medical Officer of the Welikada Prison Hospital soon. Minister Senaratne ordered to fill the vacancy of the Chief Medical Officer of the Welikada Prison Hospital next year.
It is vacant now. The Minister ordered high rank health officials to provide the report on the investigation conducted on doctors attached to the hospital, he added. Recently several politicians accused Dr.Thenuwara of giving special treatment to VIP inmates transferred to the Prison Hospital Meanwhile,UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake recently requested the Director General of Health to transfer Dr.Thenuwara for allegedly giving special treatment to Lalith Weeratunga, former Secretary to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and former Director General of Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) Anusha Palpita, convicted in the ‘Sil redi’ case.