Sri Lanka’s Director General of Health Services (DGHS) has suspended a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and a Senior House Officer attached to the Trincomalee District General Hospital over alleged misconduct linked to the death of a newborn during a delivery on April 9, amid a strike launched by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA).
The suspended doctors were identified as Dr O.V.G.L. Weerasena, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist who also serves as president of the hospital’s GMOA branch, and Dr S.A.N.D. Siyambalapitiya, a Senior House Officer attached to the same hospital.
According to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, a preliminary investigation was launched following the death of a newborn during the delivery of a mother identified as S. Thilakshika in the hospital’s labour ward.
Investigators reportedly found that despite being contacted six times by telephone regarding the patient’s deteriorating condition, neither doctor attended the emergency delivery.
The inquiry further alleged that, during the period they were expected to be on duty at the government hospital, the two doctors were instead performing a caesarean section at a nearby private hospital.
Health Ministry investigators also alleged that false entries had been made in the official duty logbook, claiming that both doctors were present at the Trincomalee hospital at the relevant time.
The Ministry stated that disciplinary action was taken over allegations including engaging in private practice during official working hours, dereliction of duty and endangering the lives of both the mother and child by failing to respond to the medical emergency.
In suspension letters issued by the DGHS, both doctors were instructed not to leave the country during the period of suspension and to notify authorities of any change in residential address.
Meanwhile, the GMOA denied claims that its trade union action had contributed to the incident. Speaking at a media briefing on Monday (May 11), GMOA Vice President Chandika Epitakaduwa stated that emergency maternity services are not suspended during union action and accused critics of attempting to unfairly link the union to the infant’s death.
He further claimed that the two doctors had been engaged in private practice outside their official working hours.