The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has urged the Ministry of Health to initiate an expert investigation into recent public criticisms targeting complex surgical and medical procedures, which they say are being made by individuals lacking medical expertise.
In a letter to Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, the AMS expressed serious concerns over uninformed and unverified comments circulated on social media that question the appropriateness and outcomes of high-risk treatments performed by qualified specialists.
“These remarks have sparked unwarranted attacks against medical professionals and have sown doubt and anxiety among patients undergoing or awaiting critical medical care,” the AMS said.
The association warned that such misinformation damages both the reputation of specialists and public confidence in Sri Lanka’s healthcare system.
The AMS called on the Ministry of Health to conduct a formal inquiry into these incidents and issue a clear, authoritative statement to dispel misleading narratives.
They stressed the need to protect the interests and morale of specialists who continue to provide vital services nationwide despite significant resource constraints.
This appeal comes amid heightened public scrutiny following the arrest of Dr. Maheshi Wijerathne, a senior consultant neurosurgeon at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital.
Dr. Wijerathne was arrested last month by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) along with two others, facing charges of professional misconduct.
The allegations include directing patients to purchase neurosurgical devices at inflated prices through unofficial channels.
Furthermore, it is alleged that non-viable patients were kept on life support unnecessarily to increase usage of these devices.
The AMS cautioned against allowing ongoing investigations into individual cases to fuel generalized mistrust of medical professionals or the healthcare system at large.
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