The construction of necessary structures, including lecture halls and pre-clinical buildings, at the Faculty of Medicine at Uva Wellassa University has received Cabinet approval, with the necessary funds to be allocated during the budget 2026-2028 timeframe. 

The government says the Faculty of Medicine at Uva Wellassa University was established according to the budget proposal for 2023. 

A total of 80 students who had been enrolled are using and modernising the buildings within the university by utilising Rs. 200 million allocated for that year, while the first and second academic years are currently being implemented. 

However, since the necessary lecture halls, administrative buildings, and pre-clinical buildings have not been constructed yet, there have been obstacles to the proper functioning of the Faculty of Medicine. 

The government further states that the cost required to construct the pre-clinical buildings and the essential administrative building, including the lecture halls, within the University premises has been calculated at Rs. 2,149 million.

As such, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister, in her capacity as Minister of Higher Education, to commence procurement activities this year and to provide the relevant facilities by allocating the required provisions during the budget 2026-2028 timeframe. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to take over the Homagama Base Hospital and upgrade it as a teaching hospital for the establishment of a Faculty of Medicine under the National School of Business Management (NSBM).

According to the government, it has been proposed to establish a medical college under the direct supervision and regulation of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the Sri Lanka Medical Council by the National School of Business Management, a fully self-financed institution-owned by the government.

It is proposed to award MBBS degrees through the medical college and to enroll 500 local and foreign students annually for the relevant degree course. 

The institution has sought approval to reserve the Homagama Base Hospital as a suitable government hospital for clinical training for the degree of this Faculty of Medicine. 

Since the approval of the Cabinet was already given for the use of the Homagama Base Hospital for the clinical training of NSBM medical students, it has been proposed to prepare a mechanism to reserve the hospital on the basis of resource sharing for the clinical training of medical faculty students as well as professor unit facilities. 

The National School of Business Management has agreed to provide the necessary funds for the development of the Homagama Base Hospital in accordance with the standards of medical education published by the Sri Lanka Medical Council. 

As such the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the President to take over the Homagama Base Hospital under the purview of the Ministry of Health and upgrade it as a teaching hospital. (NewsWire)

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At least 70 students of the first batch of the Faculty of Medicine at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka are facing uncertainty over the qualification status of their degree. 

Issuing a statement, the students pointed out that despite being a state university that opened in 2019, the MBBS degree offered by this institution is currently not recognized by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

They revealed that this situation at this government-funded university has resulted in creating uncertainty over their future to work as doctors in Sri Lanka. 

“We are the final year medical students of this government-funded university which was opened in 2019. But we were recently informed by the SLMC that, although we are a state university, the MBBS degree offered by our university cannot be accepted by the SLMC and hence as of now our MBBS degree is not valid and recognized in our country to work as doctors in the future,” they said.

The students point out that this problem has arisen due to the irresponsible actions of the university administration, and the relevant stakeholders of the government, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education. 

“We have only another 10 months for our final MBBS examination in October 2024 and if we are not given a proper solution to start our final year clinical training, we will fail to sit for this exam,” they revealed. 

A silent protest was held earlier this week by the first batch of medical students from the Faculty of Medicine at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, demanding a solution to the issue, including a proper Final-Year-Clinical-Training program and a Professorial Unit. (NewsWire)

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At least Twenty-one (21) university students have been arrested following a protest in Maradana today. 

They were arrested after the Police fired water canons to disperse the protest march staged near the Maradana Railway Station.

A protest march was staged by Medical Faculty students heading towards the Health Ministry in Colombo. 

The students of the Sabaragamuwa University’s Faculty of Medicine organized the protest based on several demands, including the immediate opening of a building of the Sabaragamuwa Medical Faculty. (NewsWire)

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Police have fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse a protest march near the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo.

The protest march is being carried out by the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee.

Green Path Road has been closed for traffic from Nelum Pokuna Junction to the Public Library in Colombo due to the protest. (NewsWire)

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