Deepening the shortage of doctors in Embilipitiya, sources close to the hospital revealed that the anaesthesiologist at Embilipitiya Hospital has been transferred to Colombo. Previously, amid simmering issues in the health sector, the anaesthesiologist of Embilipitiya Hospital left the country without informing the authorities. To address the vacancy, a new anaesthesiologist has been temporarily appointed at the hospital to ensure the continuity of its operations.
The newly appointed anaesthesiologist recently returned to Sri Lanka following overseas training. According to sources, the required cadre for anaesthesiologists at Embilipitiya Hospital is two; however, due to a shortage of specialists, only one anaesthesiologist is currently serving at the hospital. For the past few months, this doctor has been providing support as the sole anaesthesiologist for surgeries at Embilipitiya Hospital. Therefore, if she is transferred to a hospital in the Colombo area, the essential surgical operations of the hospital may face a crisis again.