No SLMC registration for unqualified foreign doctors

Nadira Gunatilleke

Registration will not be given through the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to any foreign doctor who does not have the required qualifications and experience to serve in Sri Lankan private hospitals. Several child patients with various medical complications developed after undergoing 'surgeries’ in private hospitals, turn to state hospitals for treatment, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, many child patients who underwent cleft lip surgery in private hospitals end up in state hospitals with various medical complications. After carefully checking the required qualifications and experiences, the SLMC give registration for the foreign doctors. When the SLMC gives them registration as Medical Doctors, they operate as specialist doctors in private hospitals and sometimes perform ‘surgeries’ on patients.

“Patients face various difficulties and dangers due to ‘treatment’ and 'surgeries’ perform by such unqualified and inexperienced foreign ‘doctors’. Surgeries such as cleft lip cannot be corrected if performed in the wrong way. Some foreign doctors perform such surgeries to test their capability, to carry out experiments and gather experience,” he said.

“The qualified Sri Lankan specialist doctors serve in private hospitals only before 8 am and after 4.30 pm. During day, foreign doctors and some local private sector doctors serve in private hospitals and perform all medical procedures. The Health Ministry will not allow any unqualified and inexperienced doctors to serve in any Sri Lankan private hospital here after,” he added.