Chairman, South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine Limited Dr. Neville Fernando in a letter yesterday, said that a news item had appeared in the Daily News dated 26.12.2016 under the caption “GMOA levels allegations over woman’s death, carried misleading statements made against the hospital by GMOA Secretary Navin de Soyza.
Excerpts from the letter:
We refer to the article appearing in the Daily News newspaper dated 26.12.2016 under the caption “GMOA levels allegations at Malabe Neville Fernando Hospital over Woman’s death” in which baseless and untruthful allegations and misleading statements have been made against Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital by GMOA Secretary Dr. Navin de Soyza, has been cited and published by you.
We particularly highlight the following misleading and untruthful assertions made by Dr. de Soyza:
Dr. de Soyza claims that our hospital operates without the guidance of the Health Ministry, thus misleading the public to presume that it is the Health Ministry that issues guidelines to private hospitals. However, private hospitals operate under the supervision of the Private Sector Health Regulatory Council and our hospital had at all times complied with the guidelines issued by the relevant authority.
Dr. de Soyza has made a further statement that the Sri Lanka Medical Council had not approved this hospital when in fact the Sri Lanka Medical Council’s approval is not required either to establish or operate a private hospital. Furthermore, Dr. de Soyza is not a spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Medical Council, nor an office bearer of this Council.
Dr de Soyza has also alleged that no one is punished and nothing has been done for misplacing rugger player Wasim Thajudeen’s bones. The hospital or SAITM has not been charged in any Court of law or by any forum for any alleged misplacement of human bones of any person and how this statement is relevant to the issue raised by him is unfathomable.
Dr. de Soyza also states that a demand for Rs. 150,000 had been made from the family of the deceased, when there has not been any such demand by the hospital. In fact, the Hospital has reduced a considerable portion of the invoice issued by the hospital which is lawfully and legally payable by the family of the deceased at their request. The hospital is entitled to charge its patients for the services provided by them. The family of the deceased have settled the invoice and enjoyed the benefit of the discount, which was granted at the request of the family of the deceased.
The investigation into the death of a patient who was admitted to the hospital has been initiated due to the request of the family and the JMO report is pending. We verily believe this request of the family stemmed from 3rd party influences, who have a vested interest to tarnish the good name and reputation of the hospital.