Yes, my daughter-in-law is studying at SAITM: Rajitha

17 December 2015 10:43 am Views - 21337

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne today admitted that his daughter-in-law was studying at SAITM and added that not only her but that many of his relatives were studying there.

He said the Health Ministry permitted to facilitate clinical training for students at the Malabe private Medical College following a court order on a payment of Rs. 50,000 per student and there was no personal or political consideration involved in that decision.

The Inter-University Students' Federation (IUSF) yesterday said that Minister Senaratne's daughter-in-law (MP Chathura Senaratne's wife), was following a course at the SAITM and that that was why Dr. Senaratne was striving to protect SAITM.

Minister Senaratne said if the Health Ministry did not permit SAITM (South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine) students to have their clinical training at a government hospital, the Health Secretary would be held responsible for contempt of court as the Health Ministry had undertaken earlier to permit SAITM students to provide facilities for clinical training. Subsequently, the Health Ministry permitted then to have clinical training at the Avissawella and Kaduwela hospitals.

SAITM students cannot have clinical training at the Malabe Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital due to lack of sufficient patients or beds there.

Meanwhile, Minister Senaratne questioned as to why the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) did not oppose the medical college that was set up at the Kotalawala Defence University (KDU).

“Was it because former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave the GMOA a telephone call asking to explain GMOA’s position on the issue?” he asked. (Sandun A Jayasekera)


 


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