Although there are opportunities for 27 cardiac and thoracic surgeons to perform cardiac surgery in Sri Lanka’s public health service, there are only 18 such specialists available. Some of these doctors have already decided to leave the country, while others will retire when they reach the age of 60. Medical sources said
They warn that the current brain drain would create a vacuum in the service that could create a shortage.
At present, 20 ward complexes are in existence in various hospitals on the island for heart surgery and other related ailments.
The present 18 heart and thoracic surgeons are working in Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, and Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital. A specialist doctor told Lankasara
By the year 2023, seven of these specialist doctors would leave the public service through the retirement process at the age of 60, and one doctor is already billed to go overseas.
He disclosed that only ten cardiac surgeons would remain in hospitals countrywide.
The same source revealed that there are no suitable candidates to fill the vacancies and that one doctor who completed foreign specialist training has returned to Sri Lanka and said that two others who completed such training have unofficially informed the authorities that they will not return to Sri Lanka.
There are currently two cardiac wards in Kurunegala and Batticaloa General Hospitals. Kurunegala General Hospital has two operating theatres and a 10-bed intensive care unit for heart surgery, and Batticaloa General Hospital has two operating theatres and a 6-bed intensive care unit.
Meanwhile, a new building is being constructed with Japanese (JAICA) assistance at the Anuradhapura General Hospital to set up a cardiology unit.
In the meantime, the coronary care units of Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa General Hospitals are unable to provide assistance to the public owing to the shortage of a surgeon required for medical treatment at the required time, and those hospital services have also been hampered.
He pointed out that due to the shortage of specialist surgeons, the heart units of these three hospitals cannot operate.
Currently, there is a two-year waiting list for heart surgery in government hospitals. Due to this, it is inevitable that a large number of patients will not be able to receive proper heart treatment.
