Doctors should not become hypocrites

Wednesday, 5 October 2011 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

STRIKE action is an effective weapon used by all trade unions in Sri Lanka. However, some strikes can have a deeper impact than others. The doctors’ strike that was halted in the nick of time may have actually saved lives and shown how the public can be held to ransom over something that is taking place between officials.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has been at odds with the Health Ministry for months over the opening of a private medical university, which they feel is illegal. This spiralled into the removal of the GMOA Chairman’s file and allegations of misconduct, which spurred the GMOA to threaten strike action if the file was not returned.

The dispute arose after the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption recorded a statement from Dr. Padeniya last week in connection with his leave to go abroad for post graduate studies.

The GMOA called this an act of victimisation because the commission had nothing to do with the leave of public servants as it did not fall within the ambit of its functions. In the wake of a meeting between the GMOA and Minister Maithripala Sirisena on Friday afternoon, a four-member committee headed by Ministry Secretary Ravinda Ruberu was appointed to look into the allegations.

The committee exonerated Dr. Padeniya and ruled that he had obtained his study leave in accordance with departmental regulations and guidelines and had, after completing his post graduate studies, qualified as a specialist in paediatrics and neurology. The committee also ruled that Dr. Padeniya had obtained the payments due to him during his foreign training in accordance with Ministry regulations and had not committed any offence.

Meanwhile, at the same time the Colombo District Court gave a verdict preventing the GMOA from striking as planned. The petition was filed by a patient who suffers from a respiratory ailment, pointing out that it was unethical for the GMOA to go on strike for an issue that concerned officials.

This is a valid point as doctors cannot continuously put patients’ lives in danger over issues that can be addressed with different mechanisms. For example, the GMOA could have taken legal action against the Bribery and Corruption Commission rather than endangering the lives of patients.

Just as much as doctors have rights, so do the patients and these are consistently ignored as doctors and nurses go on strike, keeping sick people as virtual hostages. At least in instances when there are specific officials whom action can be taken against, the doctors should care enough about the average man to not engage in harmful strike action. After all, it is the taxes of the common man that paid for their qualifications.

Undoubtedly, this is a contentious issue and the doctors are not the only ones to blame. Government authorities need to coordinate better and have a transparent dialogue with professional bodies so that the people do not end up as losers. In this instance the people lose on several fronts, one by not having doctors and the other by not being able to send their children to a private medical college.

The Hippocratic Oath holds all doctors to saving their patients’ lives – let them not become hypocrites.