The Government Medical Officers (GMOA) has said it will soon seek a meeting with Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa and the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) to discuss the rapid deterioration of health services at government hospitals.
GMOA Secretary Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa yesterday (22) said that instead of taking tangible measures to address the worsening shortage of medicine and equipment at government hospitals, the NPP government tried to hoodwink the public by creating an environment for patients to procure required medicine and equipment from the private sector.
The recently issued circular was meant to encourage patients to depend on private sector suppliers for urgently needed medicine and equipment, he said.
Dr. Sugathadasa said so after concerned parties, including medical specialists, met at the GMOA main office on Monday (21) to discuss the controversial circular. They unanimously agreed that the circular caused further problems, within hospitals, and weakened their efforts to maintain services under severe difficulties.
Quoting those who attended Monday’s meeting, and reports from hospitals, Dr. Sugathadasa said the circular is impractical and couldn’t be adhered to under the present circumstances.
Dr. Sugathadasa pointed out the absurdity in patients having to secure approval from hospital to obtain medicine and equipment from outside owing to the governnment’s failure to meet the requirements.
According to him, the decision-making executive committee of the GMOA, following deliberations yesterday, decided that the Ministry circular further curtailed the free health services and burdened the public (SF)