The failure to treat Public Safety and Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga is a violation of medical ethics, doctors and experts in the media sector pointed out.
The experts say that Professor Ranil Jayawardena’s refusal to provide medical treatment to Ranatunga at a private hospital in Colombo on the evening of the 7th is a blatant violation of medical ethics. They pointed out that Ranatunga has gone for treatment as a patient and not as a Minister.
They were responding to a query made by Daily News regarding the incident.
Commenting on this, Dr. Rakshan Bellana, President of the Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) said that Sri Lanka is a country that has treated even the LTTE carders, knowingly that they were terrorists.
He emphasized that the health service in our country was internationally acclaimed and said that the refusal to treat by Prof. Ranil Jayawardena was a blatant violation of medical ethics.“Prof. Ranil Jayawardena is a doctor performing duties in the Department of Health.
He is a Specialist Physician affiliated to the University. Any doctor can have personal opinions. But at the time of taking the oath as a doctor, they pledge to treat patients equal. Accordingly patients should not be selective and treated. But this time the Code of Conduct has been violated. If this goes on, it will be a pathetic situation” he said.
Commenting on this, Dr. Suneth Perera, Vice President of the Medical Officers’ Association (MOA) said that doctors should not violate rules and ethics of the profession.
Responding to our query, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) representative said that it was not humane to do so. He also said that Ranil Jayawardena was not a member of their association to comment on the incident.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
, Local, ,