Tamils in Jaffna have protested against the transfer the newly appointed Medical Superintendent of Chavakachcheri Base Hospital, after he claimed that there was corruption occurring at the medical facility.
Sri Lankan security forces, including the Special Task Force and the Police Anti-Riot Squad, were deployed when a tense situation ensued outside the hospital premises, as protesters demanded Dr Archchuna Ramanathan be retained at the hospital. He was reportedly lined up to be transferred out of the hospital, after speaking out against irregularities and corruption that he claimed had been taking place.
Shops and public markets were closed in Chavakachcheri in support of the protest, as tensions flared between Jaffna residents and the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) who have been demanding Dr Ramanathan be replaced.
Reports in the Tamil press cite that Dr Ramanathan had found irregularities, including how doctors at the hospital were not working full-time and were allegedly neglecting patients in favour of running private practices.
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Dr Ramanathan has been regularly posting to his Facebook page in what he said is an attempt to expose “corrupt practices”. According to local residents the doctor is the son of a Tamil Eelam police instructor Mr Ramanathan, who was killed by Sri Lankan shell fire in 2009, and also the brother of two Tamil Eelam police cadres.
"There have been instances where patients in the (Outpatients department) have been turned away, this cannot happen,” he said. “Health is an essential service and we are duty-bound to look after the sick. I don't care what action is taken against me.”
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In a video posted on Facebook, Dr Ramanathan stated that he was threatened and assaulted for speaking out about the hospital administration, however, a complaint had been lodged with the Sri Lankan police in Jaffna to the contrary, painting him to be the accused.
“I have nothing to fear,” he said. “Because of my actions, the earnings of the GMOA have been stripped off. We no longer allow for bodies to be retained at the hospital simply because it's the weekend and there are no doctors on duty. I ordered that within 24 hours the body must be handed to the family, that doctors must complete their shifts."
As outrage over the decision continues, the issue was raised in Sri Lankan parliament by the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendran.
"There have been simmering tensions over the last three days which resulted in the residents blocking the road and entrance to the hospital," he said. "This doctor in question has exposed several irregularities of the hospital from time to time. In understanding this impact on communities, the doctor has proactively attempted to change administrative issues so that the hospital could offer citizens the health services they need."
Kajendran said that patients lamented they were often sent to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital due to these irregularities and doctors were unavailable for much of the time at Chavakachcheri.
"There were complaints that the doctors and specialists were engaging in private practice than prioritising the hospital work. Dr. Ramanathan realising these issues has attempted to resolve them," said the MP.
Kajendran also blamed the hospital's management and authorities for not rectifying issues at the hospital that resulted in people calling for this doctor to be retained for the services he offered.
