Observation made by the special inspection committee appointed by the SLMC in 2015, has been the inadequate clinical exposure offered to its medical students at SAITM.
The committee highlighted it as a “grave concern” in their report concluding that the student to patient ratio was not sufficient for a teaching hospital.
During a previous press briefing in August 2016, SAITM stated that even though it was willing to engage in a public-private partnership with the Government, it was not ready to dilute the original ownership. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has been pushing for the nationalisation of its hospital including its medical faculty alleging, that it was established on fraudulent grounds.
In an unexpected media appearance, SAITM Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando announced, that the teaching hospital of the institute would be handed over to the Government, effectively allowing it to be nationalised and claimed, that the Sri Lanka Medical Council’s (SLMC) reluctance to recognise SAITM MBBS graduates was a result of a personal vendetta against him.
However, Dr. Fernando says the decision was not made under pressure and the new partnership with the Government will enable them to silence critics of the institution.
Dr. Fernando believes the Government’s appropriation will attract more patients to the hospital. “The reason is there will be a lot of patients coming into the hospital. Then we are able to provide better clinical experience to our students,”
“The administration of the hospital will be handed over to the Government, including all assets which amount to about Rs. 4 billion,” Dr. Fernando told. However, five professorial units of the hospital will continued to be under the management of SAITM.
Engine Drivers, Controllers, Superintendents and Station Masters, who are on contract employment are called for active duty immediately. General Manager…
