A committee has been appointed to formulate a national policy on medical education with the aim of aligning medical training with the country’s healthcare needs.Colombo University Vice Chancellor Prof. Indika M. Karunathilake said the committee had been set up as Sri Lanka currently does not have a formal national policy on medical education.He said members were still awaiting their official letters of appointment.

Prof. Karunathilake said the committee brings together all key sectors involved in medical education, including academia, the Ministry of Health, medical professionals, trade unions and medical students.He noted the intention was to ensure broad representation from all stakeholders. “The main objective of the committee is to develop a policy that is aligned with the needs of the national health system in order to improve the delivery of healthcare services in the country,” he said.Responding to questions, he said the issue of a national policy on medical education was not new. He pointed out that similar discussions had taken place in the past, particularly during debates involving private medical education institutions such as South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, when trade unions had also called for a clear national framework.

The Vice Chancellor further noted that according to earlier reports, key discussions leading to the current initiative had taken place in February this year when Prime Minister and Higher Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met representatives of the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee.

At the time, concerns had been raised over internship delays, shortage of accommodation for medical graduates, expansion of internship hospitals, student facilities at medical faculties, transport difficulties faced by trainees, ragging and broader reforms needed in medical education, he said.