GMOA raises concerns over establishment of medicine faculty at NSBM

Questions the need for such a move

13 March 2024 10:49 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 23 Bookmark

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Colombo, March 13 (Daily Mirror) - On the heels of the cabinet nod to establish a medical faculty at the National School of Business Management (NSBM), the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has expressed reservations, questioning the necessity of the move as it appears unrealistic.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, GMOA Media Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe emphasized the importance of conducting a proper feasibility study before making a final decision.

"As Sri Lanka is renowned for upholding competitive and high standards in medical education, it is imperative to consider the potential loopholes that could hinder local competitiveness when establishing new faculties of this nature," he pointed out.

As such, Dr. Wijesinghe stressed that health authorities must ensure that standards are not compromised with the establishment of the new faculty.

"Furthermore, the authorities must outline their plans regarding the number of doctors they intend to produce in the next ten years. However, the health ministry seems to lack such a strategic plan," he alleged.

According to the latest A/L intake, a total of 2084 students were enrolled in medical faculties in Sri Lanka, with the Colombo University having the highest enrollment, Dr. Wijesinghe raised questions about the necessity for new production.

"Failure to consider these factors could lead to the Medicine Faculty at NSBM becoming the next SAITM," Dr. Wijesinghe added.

Meanwhile, the GMOA urged the Health Ministry to prioritize addressing the issues faced by medical faculties at state universities before establishing new ones.

When inquired from the Health Ministry, a senior official stated that the move to establish a new medical faculty is still under discussion and the final decision will be reached following consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

Comments - 23

Lk Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:05 AM

No one questions that the Sri Lankan government ( UGC/Higher Education Ministry) must protect the standard of medical studies and yet, the demands for doctors locally and internationally increasing. GMOA should propose alternative methods to increase the number of intakes. only 2084 students out of thousands of students get admissions and many qualified students do not get opportunities. many of them go to Bangladesh, China, or some other countries GMOA always stands against what the government plans .. why is this? come up with alternatives. instead of allocating more money to defence give more money to education

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Sokrates Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:10 AM

A statement that is brimming with incompetence, lies, jealousy and greed. Many hospitals and departments had to close due to a lack of doctors. Medical training at NSBM can only be better than at state universities; it can hardly be worse than there. Indian doctors should also be issued work visas for Sri Lanka. This jealousy of the GMOA, which no other doctors want to tolerate, costs the lives of many people in Sri Lanka every day who do not receive adequate medical care.

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Mahila Thursday, 14 March 2024 07:34 AM

"Dr. Wijesinghe raised questions about the necessity for new production"!!?? This guy Dr W., must be a recluse, wonder how he became a doctor and how he administers Medicine to his Patients, if the DOOD doesn't know or realise the dire need for more Doctors and understaffing in Many areas of health!! Hope he gets the Proper Medical History, Symptoms and Complaints of Patients and retains in his MEMORY - "THAT'S IF HE HAS ONE WORKING PROPERLY - DOESN'T seem to be the case", especially going by his Media Statement!!! Then treats and cures the patient!!! Buddham Saranang Kachchami!!???

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Bushel Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:12 AM

Government at this stage bringing up various controversial topics to confuse the public to knowing what's going to happen in the elections

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Neo Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:23 AM

First they opposed private universities. But NSBM is a wholly government owned university. This sounds like desperation.

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Nish Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:25 AM

How selfish. They themselves threatened to migrate because they don't want to pay taxes. If someone don't like to pay taxes then you can't demand free education.

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Kapila Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:34 AM

all that GMOA do is oppose everything for the sake of maintaining their own monopoly while not addressing the sub standard service provided by their members

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Egoistic Wijesinghe Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:41 AM

This Wijeshinge from GMOA is exactly what is wrong with the country. He just trying to protect his little group. More medical schools are needed in our country 1. Local competitive is not because high standards. It’s because desperation and lack of enough education opportunities 2. Look at the poor standard of the healthcare sector and no resources for our doctors to better themselves 3 look at the labs and facilities in existing medical colleges ? Is it good? Does it compare to your ‘high standards’?! Wijesinghe is ignorant and stopping our country from improving

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Sujith Wednesday, 13 March 2024 11:46 AM

Usual protectionist nonsense from the GMOA.

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MOIZ Wednesday, 13 March 2024 12:00 PM

Offer your constructive suggestions to all brilliant students from city schools who fail to get seats though sometimes they get 3As,2AB, etc., and cannot reach the required Zscore par. Their affordable parents still support their children to become doctors and the laws don't stop them from sending overseas unis. do you know how much foreign exchange is drained out of the country due to this? Do you know SL diaspora spends millions of dollars in third countries for medical faculties? Find facts and explore solutions. You all have achieved goals thanks to free education but still, many others have dreams.

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Jayantha Wednesday, 13 March 2024 12:34 PM

Pls ban gmoa which is full of jelousy fools without any idea of modern education. If soomeone has money,then he or she has the right to get a medical degree as long as the individual has basic minimum requirement. Now anyone whp has studied medicine in first 1000 uni in the world can act as a doctor here. For many years students are studying in russia and bangladesh and then comes here. If these idiots try to hamper the pvt medical faculties bettee to teach these jokers a good lesson. First cancel the license given tp each gmoa and then interdict them. This is the way to silence educated idiots.

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Knowledge Exports Inc. Wednesday, 13 March 2024 12:43 PM

GMOA and many free education beneficiaries in our country are damned selfish pathetic professionals we as a country has. Poor private sector PAYE (APIT) tax payers many of whom would be utilising private schools and private health care for their families foot the bill for these Doctor fellows. Certainly GMOA can object if the standards and quality is not met, then fix that as a problem but dont throw a spanner in the works for increasing the doctor cadre. The IT faculties of the universities wisely produced more graduates than the employment cadre as a result today many Sri Lankan IT professionals are having overseas employment. Ofcourse they have the advantage of working remotely.

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P J Wednesday, 13 March 2024 01:03 PM

Hello GMOA, when you say Sri Lanka has competitive and high standards in medical education, then why can’t you doctors eradicate Dengue, solve problems associated with “long covid”, save the life of a healthy young school boy who collapsed when doing a marathon, hundreds of people suffering without cure from cancer, heart disease, and many other medical problems. The point is you fellows have NO SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS for any of the health problems. Just by bluffing and talking big , you have so far succeeded in “brain washing” the whole country to believe that you are genuine experts in health. No, you are not experts , we need genuine experts to come into medicine, the SCIENTISTS.

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Lay person Wednesday, 13 March 2024 01:10 PM

There you go! This opposition is due to jealousy and selfishness. There opposition not due to the betterment of this country. The government should be strong and ignore GMOA.

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Chin Wednesday, 13 March 2024 01:50 PM

GMOA concern is good but always opposed to this shows their selfishness. This is a good move by government to stop millions of foreign exchange draining out of country for some substandard degrees and give a fair opportunity for others who willing to get medical degree at cost. Of course quality and the standard is paramount important otherwise it would be other Sitam.

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Sampath Wednesday, 13 March 2024 02:31 PM

Here you go. These are not organisations. These are mafia. Doctors are leaving the country after studying from our public money. Why not children study by paying. They will do a better job too.

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Ranga Wednesday, 13 March 2024 03:17 PM

Another curse of the nation This statement it self is laughable "As Sri Lanka is renowned for upholding competitive and high standards in medical education, " Totally irresponsible and full of jealousy GOMA is funded by tax payers money and just pathetic to say the least

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sam Wednesday, 13 March 2024 04:07 PM

Anywhere and everywhere may not be suitable for a medical faculty

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Jeya Wednesday, 13 March 2024 04:48 PM

These people are so jealous that more doctors will be produced in this country. I support the government to ignore them and move on with the plan for private medical college. When the economic crisis hit how many GMOA doctors flee the country abandoning their duty? Now they are coming back because in first world countries they can't pull their nonsense like they do here.

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Ranaweera Thursday, 14 March 2024 12:10 AM

People like those in GMOA make sure Sri Lanka remains third world. Private medical colleges are so useful, present in many countries. Will save money going out of country. The NCMC doctors are best example ,most are Consultants.The GMOA is jealous and cannot face challange of English speaking Doctors with better PR. This is the real truth.

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Dr W.G.Somaratne Thursday, 14 March 2024 12:12 AM

GMOA should be pragmatic, rather than trying to oppose any move for higher education in medical science. The world is moving with 4IR technology and then new avenues are timely needed to promote Sri Lanka as a South Asian Education hub' for opening opportunities for our students as well as other global students to learn medicine, science, engineering, IT and ICT, management etc. All other countries consider education as a tradable service, But, due to petty politics played by GMOA and all other student federations, Sri Lanka is maintaining higher education as cost centres and limiting the opportunities for our youth. Now it is high time to open the path to higher education for all subjects, by inviting the world-reputed Universities and by establishing a Higher Education Regulatory Commission. This commission should be there 'not to control but to facilitate the investment and quality assurance of higher education'.

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Mahila Thursday, 14 March 2024 07:58 AM

"It is IMPERATIVE to consider the POTENTIAL LOOPHOLES that could hinder LOCAL COMPETITIVENESS when establishing new faculties of this nature," he pointed out." If this person is referring, competitiveness is conduct the process to Merit based, that a whole lot of “Hog Wash”!!!??? How would the process, obtained at Present as COMPETITIVE OR MERIT based when it is ‘diluted and polluted’ by “STANDARDISATION AND DISTRICT QUOTA”!!?? If that is COMPETITIVE, then WHAT ISN’T!!?? Stupefying Harbinger at his BEST!!!?? Symbolism of Sri Lankan Free Education, idolising our lack of foresight or ‘CRITICAL THINKING’!!!??? If this is the standard of Medical Professionals SL has, its BEST KEEP THEM CLOISTERED UNDERGROUND, because people would turn away in droves from NH Colombo and instead head to places like, Male, Nandi and Madagascar for their Medical treatment!!!???

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Man Thursday, 14 March 2024 09:48 AM

THANK YOU GMOA for protecting the medical profession and safeguarding innocent patients. The government must increase the budget allocation up to 5% to provide facilities to all the state universities to enhance the quality of education rather than having purposeless foreign trips with crews. Scientists do the experiments and find innovative medicines and treatments but the doctors. For the purpose of saving forex, you can't have unclever and poor doctors. It is the bottom-line relevant for other significant professions, as well.

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