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SLMC tainted by trade unionism, alleges specialists’ association
View(s):Expressing grave concern about the recent developments at the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), the Association of Medical Specialists has said the current crisis is strongly linked to trade unionisation of the premier body.
“There is an imminent threat of a trade union taking reins of the SLMC which would mark the beginning of the end of ethical medical practice of Sri Lanka. The Minister of Health has basically been held at ransom with a trade union action notice to get the assistant registrar of the SLMC suspended. To our knowledge, this is the first time in the history of the SLMC, where the Minister of Health has used his/her power to suspend an SLMC official,” a statement issued by the Association said.
The Association said it believed the suspension should be preceded by a proper and impartial inquiry and not by the pressure of a trade union.
The failure to elect four medical specialists to the council from the SLMC’s specialists registry due to the postponement of the election and the failure of successive governments to obtain the parliamentary approval for minimum standards of medical education have weakened the SLMC’s ability to maintain standards of medical education in Sri Lanka and contributed to the current crisis at the SLMC, the Association said.
It said it was pleased to hear that a committee had been appointed to look into the matters pertaining to the SLMC.
Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi decided to withdraw powers of the Acting Assistant Registrar (AAR) pending investigations.
The crisis began following the SLMC’s move to remove the three Russian universities. The Russian Cultural Section expressed concern over the SLMC’s decision to remove the People’s Friendship University of Russia (formerly known as Patrice Lumumba University), Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University and Tver State Medical University from the Approved List.
The SLMC later said the decision was a mistake.