Over 300 specialists to retire from public service, no doctors to fill vacancies

According to the latest circular issued by the Ministry of Public Administration regarding the retirement age limit of state employees, 300 specialist doctors will have to retire from public service on or before December 31st of 2022.

In the proposal for this year presented to the Parliament in 2021, the retirement age of all State employees was extended to 65 years.

However, the revised budget presented recently lowered the retirement age of Government employees to 60.

Accordingly, all Government employees aged 60 years or above must retire by December 31st 2022.

Under this directive, existing specialist doctors at provincial and primary hospitals will have to be transferred to fill the vacancies caused by the retirement of specialist doctors

The association stated that it is not possible to transfer specialist doctors without filling the vacancies first.

Usually, only specialist doctors who are already trained abroad can be transferred in this manner.

However, in view of the current crisis in the country, a significant group of specialist doctors are likely to remain abroad, the Association of Specialist Doctors said.

In that situation, the entire health service, including remote hospitals may also collapse, the Association of Specialist Doctors emphasized.

The association points out that according to the new circular, 43 specialists of Colombo National Hospital, 30 specialists of Kandy National Hospital, 17 specialists of Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, 15 specialists of Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital and 09 specialists of Apeksha Hospital will have to retire.