The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Good afternoon everybody! As a doctor and former medical administrator, I would like to speak in Tamil.

¶ 02 From the days when our community died in clusters in Mullivaikkal, Tamil people in the North and East have suffered greatly. Do not think I am being communal; I am not. At a coordination meeting in Jaffna, when some asked to demolish the Thaiyiddy Vihara, I said, “It is a place of worship; do not demolish it.” The Tamil and Muslim minorities in the North and East know me for such positions.

¶ 03 In Mannar, a three-year-old child named Hamdi Baslim died after both kidneys were removed during surgery. The consultant responsible was sent out of Sri Lanka. On 27 July 2024, a mother named Sindhuja, admitted at midnight with her baby, was unattended until 7.00 a.m. and fell and died while breastfeeding. I spoke about it and was jailed for it. While I was still serving, I went to that hospital when called to give evidence regarding her death. Yet a false AR case was filed against me and I was jailed five days. The Health Ministry has not questioned any doctor or nurse involved. The court ordered it to be recorded as a “B” report case. The baby now has neither mother nor proper support. Similarly, in Kilinochchi Hospital, a pregnant mother died due to postpartum haemorrhage; no action yet.

¶ 04 Jaffna Teaching Hospital is a major hospital even for the South. I have informed not only the Minister of Health but also the President about irregularities there. You say you will catch thieves of the past; then arrest and investigate Dr. Sathyamoorthy. In 2009 at Puthumathalan Hospital he told CNN that all those killings happened on LTTE orders. My own relative, whose leg was amputated and abdomen wounded, was brought to Trincomalee Base Hospital and then disappeared. Many who were treated in hospitals were handed to the Army and then disappeared, transported away on tractors. No action has ever been taken. Those who say no genocide happened in Mullivaikkal—did you not see the shells hitting hospitals?

¶ 05 In Chavakachcheri, the DGHS sent a transfer letter “with replacement” for a Sinhalese lady doctor named Pavsara to be immediately transferred South. The Medical Officer-in-Charge said “cannot.” As an administrator I know an MOH cannot override the HR system. But the Provincial Director of Health Services, a Sinhalese, used his authority to release her from the hospital. When I raised this in the DCC, some argued in terms of religion and ethnicity. I am a Jaffna Tamil who opposed demolishing a vihara; I stand alone among those who demanded it. We respect Buddhism though we speak Tamil. The father of baby Hamdi protests daily outside the Ministry. What answer will you give?

¶ 06 Another matter: Dr. R. Sathyamoorthy had no board certification, but a previous Government—saying there was no genocide—enabled him to get board certification through the College and installed him in Jaffna Hospital. Our diaspora relatives send billions to our hospitals. Does the Ministry keep any account? Now he is circulating a video asking for funds to build an eye hospital. I suspect certain cronies who laundered black money abroad are attempting to whitewash it through this hospital project with him. There are many such issues.