Only —11— (Active) Pediatric Cardiologists on Duty with in Sri Lanka…

Citing an article posted on daily mirror it has been revealed in the mindset of crisis of many consultant medical professionals leaving the country in an almost abandoning manner. Sri Lankan national medical field’s total number of  pediatric cardiologist number had dwindled to an alarming 11 consultant doctors according to the article. This is extremely dangerous simply because treating illnesses of young patients can’t be undertaken other than by the very professionals who had been trained on it.

According to the article, on nationally with proportional to the Sri Lankan population there should be least 20  qualified pediatric cardiologist be available. But due to migration the present count of pediatric cardiologist said to have dropped to an alarming 11 number of doctors.

The article claimed there are Pediatric cardiologist presently on duty throughout the following hospitals 

• Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) at Colombo.
• Sirimavo Bandaranayake Specialized Children’s Hospital.
• Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
• Kurunegala teaching Hospital.

The absence of pediatric cardiologist have said to created a situation where increasing number of children who were diagnosed with heart related problems being admitted to Lady Ridgeway Hospital Colombo particularly.

Article claims speaking with a senior Pediatric Cardiologist that “it is very normal  children to be admitted to the Lady Ridgeway Children hospital at Colombo, but with the current pace of increasing number of children been admitted it is a clear sign of what’s been taking place throughout the country contributed by lack of pediatric specialists.

It has been further revealed out of the nine migrated pediatric cardiologist four doctors were embedded within the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children itself.

Article claims for the Sri Lanka health authorities to acquire and to appoint properly qualified consultant medical doctors for the vacant positions, it would take least 3 years. And for now for the immediate future there is no possible solution for the crisis.