Padeniya’s Vicious Plot To Conquer Sri Lanka Medical Council

By Janaka Goonatilake –JANUARY 17, 2021

For the average reader the SLMC, SLMA and GMOA all sounds the same and distinct characteristics between them means nothing more than three institutes/organizations of medical professionals.

Padeniya – GMOA

However, the medical fraternity recognize unique roles to each of the above three organizations and there is not much overlap between their specific roles.

The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) is the apex body in regulating the standards of medical services and the standards of medical education. It is responsible in ensuring the services rendered by the registrants of SLMC to the public is safe and up to the accepted standards of the world. It is also responsible to uphold the standards of medical education of all the universities under its purview and ensure the training and skills development meets highest standards accepted by the world. The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) is stablished by an act of parliament and its role and function is governed by this Medical Ordinance hence all its actions are sanctioned by law of the land. 

The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) is the professional body of medical fraternity which is basically its academic wing. Its main concern is to enrich academic knowledge among medical professionals and maintain continued development in knowledge and skills among medical professionals.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) is a trade union established under the trade union act and currently the largest trade union among medical professionals. It has been the only trade union among doctors for a long time but, new trade unions and breakaway groups have formed such as the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS), Government Medical Officers Forum (GMOF), All Ceylon Government Medical Officers Association (ACGMOA), and it is not the sole representative of doctors anymore. 

The History

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was under Dr Anuruddha Padeniya’s Control since year 2000. The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) however, was relatively uninfluenced by the trade union pressure of GMOA in the early part of the first decade of the millennium. There was an unwritten understanding among medical professionals that the SLMC should remain an independent body and how much influential the trade union may be, it should not interfere with the business of SLMC.

The structure of the SLMC is such that out of 26 members of its council, 8 are appointed by election. These elected members sit for a tenure of 5 years and at the end of each an election was held. The SLMC election was not a very keenly contested one until about 2010 and distinguish members of the medical fraternity were elected uncontested or with minimum challenge. 

However, things started changing at the end of the tenure of Late Dr Ananda Samarasekara in 2009, who’s second term bid as a council member was thwarted by the withdrawal of support from then GMOA in the election. He was swiftly appointed as the President of the SLMC which was vacant after the conclusion of Dr H H R Samarasinghes tenure. This move was vehemently objected by the GMOA and Prof Lalitha Mendis was appointed as the President of SLMC.

If the growing involvement of GMOA was detrimental for the autonomy of SLMC was detrimental, the situation was even more aggravated by the crass attempts to manipulate SLMC in to recognize the private medical college South Asian Institute of Technology and Medcaine (SAITM) by the politicians. The height of the heat was when the then Higher Education Minister, S B Dissanayake threatened to dissolve SLMC.

Since the inception of SAITM in 2009, the environment surrounding SLMC change drastically. With the Minister of Higher Education openly threatening to dissolve SLMC if recognition for SAITM was not granted, the role of “protector” fell on to GMOA. The events that followed with SLMC and its officials coming under heavy political pressure and at times being abused and even physically attacked paved the way to the general acceptance that GMOA should be the guardian of SLMC. This developed finally in to a stage where an overwhelming number of GMOA members flocking to elect four GMOA executive committee members in to SLMC in the election held in 2018.

Being the apex body in maintaining ethical conduct of doctors and quality of medical services, it is of paramount importance the SLMC remained impartial and autonomous. However, inclusion of executive committee members of GMOA in to the disciplinary committees of the SLMC which will inquire in to complaints largely against GMOA members breaks all known principals of justice and fairness.

However, there was some hope in the general direction the SLMC would be moving as the decisions were collective decisions taken at the council meetings and the GMOA contingent was minor.

The bombshell of Minister of Health swiftly banishing five members of the SLMC including its President, Prof Harendra Silva came in Decembers 2020 on the above backdrop.

Following is a brief account how Padeniya and his followers hatched a vicious plot to deceive Hon Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health and caused the biggest upset in the history of SLMC.

* GMOA request the Minister to appoint a committee to inquire SLMC.The Editor of GMOA on a Press conference held on 11/09/2020/ Gives notice on Strike from 21/09/2020 if the Health Minister does not intervene to remove the 5 appointees by the previous government by the deadline.

* Neth news Published news on 16/09/2020 states that according to Health Ministry sources a  5 member committee has been appointed with their names and the TOR of the committee

* The TOR of the committee appears  identical to allegations made against the SLMC by GMOA office bearers during GMOA Press conferences. 

* Out of the 5committee members appointed to inquire SLMC related complaints 2 members have conflict of interest  :

1 . Dr Mathree Chandrarathne – GMOA  Election Committee member from 2014 onwards and current Election committee, Member of the GMOA appointed Annual Transfer committee. 

2. Dr  Darshana Sirisens – GMOA transfer board representative and general committee member since 2010.

An exclusive revelation of a series of SMS messages sent out by Dr Anuruddha Padeniya exposes what actually happened behind the scene in planning and executing this vicious plot to oust five members of SLMC so that Padeniya himself can get the SLMC under his control. On this thread of communications share by Padeniya among his followers, he instructs on what steps to be done next and also forecast the next steps. 

1. GMOA decided to insist Minister to remove Prof. Harandra and conduct SLMC election ASAP.  27th  August .

2. Formal complaint Against the President and some members forwarded at a meeting with minister on  14th September.

3. Minister agrees to appoint a committee to inquire SLMC and agrees to request 3 other nominees to leave to inquire prof Harendra. 15th September.

4. Complaint against Atapattu to Minister on15/09 on removing FDC files.

It is clear that by 15th September 2020, GMOA has managed to convince the minister of Health to appoint a 5 member committee to inquire in to SLMC solely on the request of GMOA. It is further clear that GMOA has already decided to remove Prof Harendra and Dr Atapattu (Assistant registrar) of SLMC prior to holding SLMC elections.

5. Inquiry will  start at ministry with GMOA complaints. Then SLMC will be summoned .3rdly will visit SLMC. Prof HP agreed. 16th September.

At the time of public announcement of appointing the committee to inquire in to SLMC, Padeniya informs his followers how the committee is going to proceed. He forecast that the inquiry will be at Ministry and SLMC members will be summoned to the ministry. “Prof HP” is Prof Hemantha Perera. And Padeniya mentions that Prof Hemantha Perera agreed to follow his directions on how to proceed with the inquiry.

It is hinted here that the GMOA complaints are still not given to the ministry.

06. GMOA need to prepare evidence attached 5 comprehensive complaints against SLMC by 21 /09. 19th September.

07. GMOA hands over the complaints as a submission to the Ministerial committee. 2nd October.

Although the committee was appointed on 16th September, GMOA was yet to submit a complaint according to these communications. GMOA hands over the complaints only on 2nd October 2020 according to these communications.

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