Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, replies are as follows:

¶ 02 (a) (i) Yes. Internship placement is permitted only in hospitals approved by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC). Mullaitivu and Mannar General Hospitals are not currently approved. Under SLMC criteria, interns can be sent only where board-certified specialists in the four major specialties—medicine, surgery, obstetrics & gynaecology, and paediatrics—are available. Mullaitivu has only two board-certified specialists among 14 specialists providing services; Mannar has two board-certified specialists among about 20 specialists. Hence interns cannot be posted there at present.

¶ 03 (ii) Due to a shortage of SLMC-registered, appropriately certified specialists, vacancies in the specialist cadre at Mullaitivu and Mannar could not be filled. However, doctors who have completed overseas training and are awaiting or pursuing board certification, as well as those currently abroad in specialist training, have been assigned to provide specialist services to cover needs. Service provision is adjusted as more board-certified specialists become available.

¶ 04 (iii) Basic investigations and facilities are available at present in both hospitals. However, for advanced diagnostics such as MRI, mammography, cystography and certain specialized laboratory tests, patients are referred, as appropriate, to Teaching Hospital Jaffna, District General Hospital Vavuniya, Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura, and where necessary, to Kandy and the National Hospital, Colombo. It is not feasible to provide every advanced test at every District General Hospital; referrals are standard practice.

¶ 05 (iv) A policy decision has already been taken. With Government funds and grants, upgrades are underway at hospitals including Mankulam, Kilinochchi, Pedduruthuduwa and Jaffna. Recruitment and training are in progress to provide required human resources; the Biomedical Engineering Unit and Medical Supplies Division are providing necessary equipment and supplies.

¶ 06 (b) Does not arise.