The Sri Lankan government received the green light to allow private universities after a landmark court judgment last week ruled that the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine or SAITM – the country’s first private medical university – is legally eligible to issue medical degrees.
Private medical college and private medical education have once again become bitter words generating an awful taste, as it was merely 35 years ago when I was a medical student at the Colombo Medical Faculty. Answers to the questions raised today as to private medical education can be found if the events that unfolded 35 years ago are analysed. The North Colombo Medical College (NCMC) aka Private Medical College (original PMC) which was subsequently nationalised and renamed the Faculty of Medicine, Kelaniya University was started by a group of wealthy, influential private practitioners who controlled the College of General Practitioners in the 80’s. They were disillusioned by the district-based admission criteria introduced by the Bandaranaike Government which effectively excluded their children and the children of the Colombo’s wealthy from the state run medical schools....
The President has decided to appoint a committee of experts to consult on issues surrounding private medical colleges. President Maithripala Sirisena will consider all the recommendations made by this committee of experts, when solving the private medical college issue. The announcement was made following a special discussion that took place between the Government Medical Officers Association and the Sri Lanka Dental Association at the President’s Official residence on Saturday morning. Representatives of the GMOA had made extensive presentations to the President on the issues surrounding SAITM. The Government Medical Officers Association and the Sri Lanka Dental Association also presented two sets of proposals to the president, to be taken into consideration when solving the matter. The president who considered views and opinions expressed from both parties, had noted that the proposals and recommendations made by experts from all other spheres will also be taken in to consideration when solving this issue. All recommendations and proposals would be directed to the expert committee appointed by the President and the president would make a final decision, based on the recommendations reached by the committee. Heads of the GMOA Dr. Anurudhdha Padeniua and Head of the Sri Lanka Dental Association Dr. Ananda Rathnayake led their delegations to this meeting with the President. The GMOA called on the President to issue a gazette which secured the minimum standards required for such a programme. The Government Medical Officers Association convening a media briefing today, following their meeting with the President,the GMOA said that the President took in to account the requests and said that the opinions of all parties is required.