Sri Lanka’s hospital network is facing mounting pressure as the shortage of specialist doctors worsens, leading to disruptions in patient services and overburdened medical staff, health sector representatives warn.
A report by the Director of Occupational Health Services, Dr. Priyantha Atapattu — obtained under the Right to Information Act — reveals that 24 specialist doctors left the public health service between April last year and April this year.
According to the report, while 3,181 specialists are required to meet national demand, only 2,042 are currently in service, leaving a gap of more than 1,100 doctors across key disciplines.
Critical shortages are reported in anesthesiology, physiotherapy, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics, and forensic medicine. Forensic services are particularly affected, with only 41 specialists serving out of the approved 64 positions.
Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance, said the shortfall is already undermining hospital efficiency and delaying essential medical procedures.
He urged the Ministry of Health and the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine to urgently implement retention programs and create incentives for specialist doctors to remain in the country.
“This is not merely a workforce issue,” Dr. Sanjeewa cautioned. “If immediate measures are not taken, the shortage will cripple hospital operations and endanger patient care nationwide.”
