Background: Doctors at major state hospitals, including Colombo National Hospital and Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, are hesitant to prescribe medicines or surgical items from private pharmacies due to legal fears.
Trigger Incident: The reluctance stems from the case of Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, a neurosurgeon facing legal action for allegedly selling medical equipment through a private company at inflated prices.
Impact on Patients:
Essential surgeries are being delayed or suspended due to shortages of items like sutures, painkillers, and orthopedic tools.
Doctors fear accusations of misconduct if they refer patients to external suppliers—even when hospital stocks are depleted.
Medical Community Response:
The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has urged the Health Ministry to issue clear guidelines to protect doctors acting in patients’ best interests.
AMS also criticized non-medical public commentary on complex medical decisions, warning it erodes trust in the healthcare system.
(source dailymirror.lk)
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