President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the Government plans to introduce a new healthcare system that will require patients to receive a referral from a primary care doctor before visiting major hospitals.
Addressing a public gathering, the President said the Government intends to establish 1,000 Arogya wellness centres next year, with a primary care doctor assigned to each family.
He said the new system would change the existing practice of patients directly visiting hospitals whenever they require medical attention, without first receiving advice from a doctor.
According to the President, around 80 million outpatient department visits are recorded annually across public and private hospitals, despite Sri Lanka having a population of around 22 million.
"We are changing the healthcare service. We are changing the culture of going to the hospital whenever one feels like it. We are establishing centers that assign a doctor to each family. Without that doctor's recommendation, one cannot go to a major hospital.
Right now, if someone comes to the local market, they drop by the hospital; if they come to the junction, they drop by the hospital. You cannot go like that. You must get a recommendation from your doctor to go to a major hospital. Otherwise, what has been happening? In a year, through the OPD—both private and public sector OPDs—80 million visits take place for medicine! The total population is 22 million, yet 80 million OPD visits occur at hospitals per year. That means people go four times on average, while some don't go at all. Why? Because there is no structured system, no medical recommendation. The patient is the one deciding where to go and which doctor to see.
It is the doctor who should decide whom you need to see. For that, we have planned to establish 1,000 Arogya (wellness) centers next year. There will be a primary care doctor, and only with their recommendation can a patient proceed to higher-level hospitals. If you are told to drink some coriander tea and rest, you go home and rest. Even when people fetch all these medicines, they don't even take them all, right? They give medicine for three days at a time. That is what has been happening. This is a waste, and this is a crime!" the president said.
