GMOA pursuing a political agenda: Kiriella

Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella yesterday accused the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) of pursuing a political agenda.

Minister Kiriella speaking at a public event in Ulladupitiya, Harispattuwa said the GMOA in the past had backed the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political campaigns and now they were doing their utmost to put the Yahapalna government into difficulty. Kiriella said the GMOA had kept silent when the Malabe private medical college was given Rs. 600m during the former President’s time in 2011. The Minister said the GMOA had no legal right to intervene in the issues relating to the private medical college.

Measures have been taken to address the issues relating to the quality of medical education offered by the institution, he said.

The Minister said the Sri Lanka Medical Council will come up with the required minimum standards, and the Government was prepared to take over the Neville Fernando Hospital and run it as a state hospital if required.