Doctor or judge, jury and executioner… - EDITORIAL

Our country has been in dire straits since it defaulted payment on its foreign borrowings. Our local tax collection dropped well below par, when a now disgraced president decided he was cutting income tax - perhaps on a personal whim or political fancy.

According to the government’s Inland Revenue Department and reported in our sister paper ‘Daily FT’ - taxation halved from Rs.1,025,319,006,780 in 2019 to Rs. 523,933,624,905 in 2020 according to Inland Revenue Department performance report 2020.

In short, our country now is not in a position to import basic needs such as food, medical requirements, sufficient supplies of fuel and gas, or meet urgent local commitments such as services to children, senior citizens and women. Two days ago, the Health Ministry announced a shortage of medicines and equipment. The minister is advising giving priority to urgent surgeries and delaying ‘non-urgent surgeries’ in hospitals.

The Alliance of Health Professionals (AHP) has blamed the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) for the current drug shortage in the country, alleging a mafia operating within, is delaying processes. 
The AHP is calling on the NMRA to commence registration of new suppliers to minimize the impact of the current medicinal drug shortage in the country.

The Japanese government has promised millions of dollars to ensure our country’s medical care system does not break down. An Indian credit line is available to support new pharmaceutical suppliers during the present crisis. 
It would appear therefore, that if urgent practical steps are taken, the shortage of medicinal drugs can be eased. 

However, a comical situation, if it was not so sad, is developing in the Health Ministry. Just two days ago, the Health Minister called for a halt to all but urgent surgeries. Now just what the hell is that supposed to mean? 

Is this minister in his ‘all-seeing’ ‘all-knowing’ wisdom suggesting doctors in this country are recommending patients who arrive at hospitals across this ‘sad little island of ours’ is cut open or other useless surgeries are performed on them by way of experimentation? Or for ‘kicks’?

Doctors - especially surgeons - by calling are supposedly learned, caring professionals - who value human life. They also know surgery is an expensive process. The fact that more Lankans are using government facilities today, is a result of the financial meltdown and the inadequacy of wages to keep up with rising costs.

The AHP charges vested interests are blocking the possibilities of numerous offers being made by different countries, which could be utilized to overcome present difficulties. It is the minister’s responsibility to iron out the blocks which impede aid reaching the people of the country.

We therefore cannot, but wonder what is going through the minster’s mind, when he made a statement calling on doctors to halt all but urgent surgeries! 

Now who or what are ‘urgent’ surgeries? What criteria is to be used on deciding whose life or limb is important? Who is to decide who lives or who dies. 
Does this master-mind think, doctors order surgeries just for the sake of cutting up a particular human body?

Or is he, like the biblical Roman ruler - Pontius Pilate - trying to wash his hands off the blood of those who may die or lose the use of a limb, due to an inability to have a surgery performed at the correct time? 

Is the minister, without ensuring a continuous supply of drugs flow into the country via our many doners, and aid givers, want to make doctors decide who lives, who dies and who loses a limb or two. The number of doctors in the country are well below the number required to treat our countrymen and women. 

Let us not add more to the pressures they are undergoing by thrusting on them decisions of being judge, jury and executioner all in one, by not providing them tools they need to perform their calling.

It is in this light the minister’s suggestion two days ago as was reported in the local media would be comical, if it was not so sad.