by Don Asoka Wijewardena
Around 50 key state medical institutions, including the Colombo National Hospital, Castle Street Maternity Hospital, National Blood Centre and Mahamodara Maternity Hospital, do not have permanent Medical Superintendents or Directors to head them. As a consequence, many administrative lapses, including delay in ordering drugs and medical equipment, delays in evaluation processes of doctors, monitoring of health care services provided by the respective hospitals were affected, All Ceylon Health Services Union General Secretary, Gamini Kumarasinghe revealed.
Kumarasinghe pointed out that many major hospitals, including the National Blood Centre did not have permanent Directors.Due to non-appointment of hospital heads, a plethora of problems had emerged affecting patients. For instance the Colombo National Hospital had been functioning without a permanent Director since the departure of its former Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe.
He said that the National Blood Centre was an important organization which was mainly responsible for regular blood supply to hospitals when necessary. In emergency situations, the Centre was required to perform very efficient service in supplying compatible blood to needy patients. "The National Blood centre plays a crucial role in supplying blood. But there is no Director. It is a mismanagement of the Health Ministry to run important hospitals without heads".
When contacted Deputy Director General (Medical Services), Dr. (Ms) Luxmi Somatunge said that hospital directors were appointed through the annual list. There could be some hospitals without permanent superintendents or directors, but acting directors had been appointed to manage the affairs of hospitals.
Dr. Somatunge added that she was going through the applications received from applicants for hospital directors’ positions. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Ministry Act, there was a mechanism to select eligible persons to fill vacancies.
"I dismiss the allegations made by unions that the management of some hospitals leaves much to be desired due to non-appointment of permanent directors. A qualified doctor with the background of hospital administration has been appointed to each affected hospital," Dr. Somatunge stressed.
She said that all hospital directors’ vacancies would be filled soon. The delay could be attributed to selecting the correct person for the job.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=47014
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