SLMA working very closely with Health Ministry to pull back state hospitals from the brink

In process of setting up a priority list so that patients will not die due to a lack of essential medicines, says SLMA President Prof. Samath D. Dharmaratne Concept of twinning a local state hospital with people in a particular city abroad being pursued

‘We need to save lives – with your support’, is the strong call going out from the respected Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) this week, as it stepped in to help the state health sector overcome the shortage of essential medicines and equipment.

Amidst the uncertainty and turmoil in Sri Lanka which have reached a simmering peak, the SLMA which is the national professional medical association which brings together medical practitioners of all grades and all branches of medicine, is “very closely” working with the Health Ministry to pull back state hospitals from the brink, the Sunday Times understands.

Gravely concerned about the two faces of the same coin – medicines and food, shortages of which would have disastrous consequences, SLMA President Prof. Samath D. Dharmaratne reiterated that “medicine and food or nutrition are inextricably linked”.

The SLMA Relief Fund has been set up to meet the emerging crisis in state hospitals and to be a central mechanism which can coordinate not only with donors but also with state hospitals to find out their urgent requirements.

“We can act as a broker to match the two groups,” explained Prof. Dharmaratne, pointing out that with the SLMA’s members being very diverse and spread out across the country and the SLMA also being the umbrella over all the colleges linked to medicine, the task would be doable.

He said that through their network, they are already being informed of the possible shortages of essential medicines in state hospitals and, in turn, they could channel funds, medicines and equipment that people are willing to donate quickly and with transparency.

Not only do some of the colleges have dollar accounts but the SLMA’s members also have a wide network of contacts, both local and foreign, spanning across the world which they have already activated, he said.

The SLMA is in the process of setting up a priority list so that patients will not die due to a lack of essential medicines, said Prof. Dharmaratne who along with SLMA Secretary Prof. Ishan De Zoysa and Intercollegiate Committee Secretary Dr. Surantha Perera was part of the crucial dis

cussions with the ministry.

Pledges of support have already been received from Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Australia, it is understood.

Another unique concept being pursued by Prof. Dharmaratne is twinning a local state hospital with people in a particular city abroad. It would be like an “adoption” system, with those people who could even be mainly Sri Lankan expatriates seeing to the needs of a hospital of their choice back home.

“It may be an encouragement for such groups abroad to look after a hospital at which their kith and kin seek treatment in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Stressing that Sri Lanka’s state health system is not only free but also the very backbone of the people’s health, Prof. Dharmaratne called upon everyone to support it so that it does not collapse in the current crisis.

He added: “It is vital for the authorities to prioritise health in whatever little resources are left. For, the state health system is the decisive factor between life and death of people. We need to strengthen it and ensure its survival as the very survival of people is dependent on it.”

Meanwhile, many medical

groups including the SLMA expressed serious concern about the continuing violence and deteriorating security situation.

While fearing that the problems may worsen as security forces have been given permission to shoot those who engage in violence against their opponents and those who damage public or private property, the SLMA has urged the security forces to exercise “maximum restraint” when trying to control unruly elements or mobs and to use only non-lethal measures. It also categorically urges the people to stop using violence against individuals or property.

Referring to the major role played by the electronic and print media, the SLMA sends out a plea not to glorify violence and to avoid heightening anxieties and hatred by showing an excess of violent scenes under any circumstances. These scenes are watched by children who could be scarred for life.

“We request both mainstream and social media to show restraint when airing violent scenes. We earnestly request all religious leaders and civil organizations to call for peace immediately, while reiterating the urgent need to bring all the perpetrators of the recent crimes to justice,” the SLMA added.