The Academy of Health Professionals (AHPs) urged the Health Ministry to investigate the role played by the Directors appointed to the Medical Research Institute (MRI) and various other State health institutions.
Lashing out, AHP President, Ravi Kumudesh said a system should be put in place in the State health service where immediate measures could be taken to assess the efficiency and accountability of the directors that were appointed to various State health institutions. As it is, the MRI was not fulfilling a large percentage of patient needs due to the lapses in administration.
He accused the Institute of failing to conduct at least 50 per cent of the types of tests that should be done over a long period.
“Administrative incompetence of the Health Ministry and the authorities appointed to the MRI has left a highly unutilised portion of the Institute.”
He said at least 50 per cent of the MRI Director’s salary should be slashed for the failure to bring things under control.
“It is not the Government’s responsibility that the MRI was functioning at a loss or that it should be privatised or that there was a surplus of employees,” he added.
Kumudesh observed that the situation could result in a delay in the diagnosis of very complex diseases. It also may lead to some diseases contracted by patients remaining permanently undiagnosed, causing suffering or death. Also, this shortcoming of the MRI could result in the efforts of the entire health service being futile. The treatment given by specialist doctors may be in vain or not be properly managed.
He accused the MRI Director and the Health Ministry of violating the right of the public to prevent disease due to the inability to detect certain diseases in advance. This could also result in long-term suffering for patients and heavy economic losses to them as well.
Kumudesh noted that among the tests that were not conducted were; Hepatitis B IgM, Hepatitis C PCR, Herpes simplex virus type 1.2 IgM, Rabies Ab, Vitamin D, Dengue IgG, IgM rapid Ab, Candida Ab ELISA, Mannan Ag for candida, Vaccine quality assurance test, HSV IgG ELISA, ASOT (Antistreptolysin O titer – a blood test to measure antibodies against streptolysin O which is substance produced by group A streptococcus), Meningococcal Ab and Toxoplasma.
(ceylontoday.lk)
