Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Europe, Solicitor in England and Wales President Ambassador’s Forum

Health is Wealth

Health is wealth is the adage frequently used. The words of one of the richest in the world said at the death of his wealth and that it is of no use without proper health of an individual sick feeble and bedridden. Is it karma, destiny, or the wish of unknown are all unanswered issues. Human body is complicated uncertain and unpredictable to be careful managed with the knowledge and experience of the human body and nature. He said all the wealth in the world could not save his suffering from terminal cancer. Physicians are available at all ages with different degrees of competence treated  to the  human body in various  means and methods yet the death is inevitable and the attempts of the human being is to live longer in good health with a sound mind. No permanent solutions have been found to prevent aging and death though medical advancement has invented drugs and methods for better health sponsored by the state or unseen divine power. Physicians were available for the human body at all ages worldwide with different types of treatments surgical and otherwise. News is the health services are advanced modified based on modern technology. Heart surgery has been complicated cumbersome and expensive before. Today it is done by advanced technology with much lesser risk offered privately and by the state. Human kind is fortunate to the advancement of medical technology advancing day by day yet-availability of it to the common man is the issue worldwide. States and the private sector has unsuccessfully finding a solution applicable to all with no success due to economic and logistic factors. How is the issue is confronted with by states and private individually?. The most pleasant feeling in life is to life healthy and happily with a sound mental equilibrium that you will acquire only when you are in good health.

Kinds of Medical Systems in the Country

Sri Lanka is blessed with different advanced kinds of medical systems with competent and kind physicians recognized and reputed world over. Western system of treatment is introduced to Sri Lanka by the west  when Sri Lanka was still blessed with the world recognized  indigenous medical systems prevalent in Sri  Lanka with somewhat similarities with the Indian model while maintaining the independence in the traditional model inherited traditionally. UK model has spread to the commonwealth countries including Sri Lanka where the state offers free health to the citizen. State owned hospitals are spread country wide in Sri Lanka offering free treatment and aftercare and full  treatments to every citizen equally when the private sector has own private hospitals doctors with a separate mechanism. Sri Lankan western medical system is set up on the UK model namely the NHS national Health System offering the UK citizen free health with a Mega Computer spread country with links to hospitals and GPs (General Physicians) with access to any hospital and GP’s information on the patient with the patient’s network through GP’s of the citizen. This is one of the best systems in the world where every citizen is entitled to have his/her own GP at the place of residence all at the cost of the state. Despite the free health services the private medical system too is flourishing in the United Kingdom to those who could afford for a prize leaving the citizen to choose the kind of treatment. Private medical system is generally linked to insurance as in the USA with no state funded medical system depending on insurance schemes. There is no GP system in Sri Lanka and the physicians are generally experienced, learned with no shortage due to the advancement of the education system. Government hospitals are available countrywide on district level and main central municipal capitals despite shortages, shortcomings depending on the economic situation at various times. Indigenous health system and the treatments by medicines of natural plants and ingredients too is commonly used by the average Sri Lankan who lived long living with nature and ingenious drugs and health practices that has tested over thousands of years successfully with self-regulators methods.

Private Medical Care and Private Hospitals

Private medical care is available in Sri Lanka in abundance in varies degrees subject to the quality and slight supervision by regulators apparently who are not active and mobility in terms of expectations by the consumers who are protected and supervised by the Consumers Authority, Ministry of Health, Private Health Services Regulatory Council, Professional bodies of professions and of course the media always vigilant in medical negligence  and overcharging by the private hospital which is a known and a palatable news flowering round often. The cost of Sri  Lankan private hospitals are extremely excessive to the average citizen compelled to use it by finding funds with great difficulties, except those who are covered by insurance premiums, which is commonly used in UK and USA. Consumers must unite to bring down the cost of private medical service with organizational powers and ability.

Regulation and Regulatory powers on the Public and Private Hospitals and professionals.

Medical practitioners are supervised by the professional bodies both in Western and ‘’Ayurwada’’ practitioners, with practicing certificates when those who practices without a valid permission are prosecuted by the police. General practitioners in UK are designed to practice in a specified area for a given group free for which the NHS would give a grant for the running of the practice and salaries of the staff which is a complicated – yet a successful mechanism the citizens are used followed in many commonwealth countries and some European states. NHS supervises the medical in GP practice and the practitioners in private practice is monitored and supervised by a different group also connected to NHS.  There is a proposition by a group of some innovative and professional sector to get the services of ‘’Care Givers’’ in place and to  assist  emergencies and to treat until the GP is treated akin to paramedics  is a good concept to consider if the caregivers are properly trained and geared to professionally. In Sri Lanka those who possess a valid practicing certificate can conduct a practice subject health and other requirements in the municipal area supervised monitored and directed by Private Health Services Regulation Council ((PHSRC) functioning under the ministry of health Private Institution Registration Regulatory Council set up under 21/2006 functioning under the Ministry of Health is the main regulatory body on medical issues yet the instrument is not clear on the charges and the reasonableness of the amounts demanded which may be a lacuna on the procedure. The institution do not appear to be active and media often reports on excessive charges and the substandard of conditions and facilities. The definition of consumer and the service is giving some conciliation to the consumer in need of assistance apparently not made use of this legal obligation to date which reads as follows.  Consumer means any actual or potential user of any  goods or services made available  for  a consideration by  any trader manufactory (75a) and Service means service of any description which is made available to a actual or a potential user  and include (h) construction, production, manufacturer supply storage  manufacture repair cleaning  (h) professional services such as  accounting auditing, legal ,medical and health. The two definitions indicate that a consumer can take the cover of CAA as a regulator to regulate conduct of the private hospitals including the standards and the price under rules as any other average consumer. Under Section 12(2) and Sri Lanka Institutions act  no 6 of 1984 on supply of any services the CAA wil derive power to gran relief to the  consumer if and when requested is another way to get redress to the customers of private hospitals.

Maintain Standards and regularization of the cost

Private practice and hospitals are a private business and the consumer has little influence other that complains, suggestions and discussions with consumer groups and the public bodies that will give eye openers to the owners of private hospitals whose prizes are unreasonably excessive and unreasonable. It is advisable to set up pressure and consumer groups and act joint in the interest of others that will give good results for many. This pressure groups are many and productive in UK and worldwide and it is a good idea to join hands with them as a pressure group. The news we receive from consumers and the media on the private hospitals and physicians are unfair and heart-breaking to hear from all over, thereby a joint action and a working arrangements are needed establishing a network of same and similar minded groups. It  is time the pressure groups and media takes positive steps on the regularization of the private health schemes and high prices of private hospitals. Sarathdw28@gmil.com