A PRESCRIPTION FOR RESOURCES

Fazmina Imamudeen laments the dearth of doctors and ensuing health crisis

Plagued by closed wards, suspended surgeries and fragile healthcare infrastructure, Sri Lanka finds itself grappling with a distressing problem. The very essence of medical care is strained as essential medicines, equipment and even basic facilities have become scarce, casting a dark shadow over the island’s healthcare system.

Ever since the economic crisis began early last year, an alarming number of Sri Lankan doctors including specialists have bid farewell to their homeland.

According to the World Socialist website, the exodus of medical expertise from Sri Lanka continues at an alarming rate. Since 2022 for example, the once thriving Kandy General Hospital has seen the migration of 10 medical specialists and 21 senior doctors to greener pastures.

The Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialised Children’s Hospital in Peradeniya is also facing a rapidly depleting cadre of emergency depart­ment doctors, neurologists and endocrinologists.

As a direct consequence of this brain drain, the paediatric ward of the Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura had to be closed due to the departure of nine doctors – including four paediatricians. This ward is set up to accommodate up to 60 patients at any given time.

In the absence of medical professionals to attend to the needs of the children, the patients who were warded at the time had to be relocated to other wards.

The ramifications of this closure extended beyond patient care. Due to the suspension of operations in the children’s ward, the clinical training for medical students from the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka was also impacted.

On a positive note, the children’s ward has since been reopened as a result of prompt government action to provide the specialists needed to resume operations. Consequently, patients who had been transferred to other wards have been brought back.

According to the Ministry of Health, there’s expected to be an astounding demand for some 4,300 medical specialists by next year. This estimate underscores the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted medical services for the general population. Apparently, 750 vacant positions need to be filled immediately and swift appointments have to be made within the year.

These vacancies encompass a wide range of critical specialties that are the foundation for comprehensive healthcare. Positions for cardiologists, microbiologists, dermatologists, emergency physicians, anaesthetists and pathologists need to be filled without delay.

The scarcity of these essential medical professionals has sparked growing concerns among experts. They have long warned about the potential consequences of delayed action. In fact, if the authorities fail to act promptly, the demand for medical specialists is expected to increase even further.

As doctors continue to leave our shores, another distressing reality emerges as the government appears to lack a viable solution to the pressing shortage of critical medicines – particularly for severe ailments. Helpless patients and their families endure constant suffering amid this ongoing crisis.

The gravest concern is that due to the scarcity of essential drugs, there’s a delay in con­ducting emergency surgery that should be undertaken before diseases progress to incurable stages.

The repercussions of these shortages are dire because they lead to extensive delays in performing surgery and extending the already lengthy waiting lists. Thousands of patients are left waiting for months and in some cases, even years.

This prolonged waiting period is triggering a cascade of additional health complications and untimely deaths, and thereby intensifying the gravity of the healthcare crisis.

The scarcity of essential pharmaceuticals is alarming as highlighted by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA). Shortages range from medications required to control postpartum bleeding to vital supplies such as anaesthetics, antibiotics, insulin and paracetamol.

From the urgent task of replenishing depleting drug supplies to the critical mission of enticing highly skilled physicians to return to their homeland, Sri Lanka is navigating a complex maze of challenges posed by the stringent 60 year retirement policy imposed on government doctors.

The state needs to urgently ensure the availability of essential medications and access the expertise of its diaspora. Decision makers bear the weight of responsibility as they grapple with the intricate puzzle of reviving a once admired healthcare system.