Surgeries at Embilipitiya Hospital comes to a halt as consultant anaesthetist leaves

• Patients who have to undergo Caesarean and complicated surgeries sent to  Ratnapura and Karapitiya Hospitals

 By Sheain Fernandopulle   

Life-saving surgeries including caesarean operations at the  Embilipitiya District General Hospital have been halted as the only  consultant anaesthetist at the hospital had left the hospital without  prior notice.   

A highly placed source told Daily Mirror Dr Udayanthi  Nanayakkara, the consultant anaesthetist had not reported to duty since  last Friday (01) and the hospital management had tried to contact her, but she was not contactable.   

However, the source said the higher-ups of the hospital had  received a WhatsApp message via an unknown number on Monday (04) where  it had been written that the consultant would not be reporting to duty.  The message was received in the form of a letter. Later, the higher-ups  learned that the message had been sent by the parents of the consultant.     
Though the higher-ups of the hospital reached the parents  to ask for the whereabouts of the daughter (the consultant), the parents had  not provided any specific information. Whether she had gone abroad or  not is still to be found out.  

Due to this development, ICU operations have come to a halt.  Furthermore, the patients who are to undergo surgeries like Caesarean  sections and complicated surgeries are sent to the Teaching Hospitals in  Ratnapura and Karapitiya due to the unavailability of the consultant  anaesthetist.   

Besides, the hospital management has informed this to the Health Ministry, and it is yet to respond to the matter. 

 
A top health official also said despite the need for two  consultant anaesthetists at the Embilipitiya Hospital since it is a  District General Hospital, the post of consultant anaesthetist had been  vacant for about three months. However, Dr Udayanthi Nanayakkara who  joined the hospital two months ago is no more.