By Engr. Kanthar Balanathan DipEE (UK), GradCert (RelEng-Monash), DipBus&Adm (Finance-Massey), C.Eng., MIEE, Former Director of Power Engineering Solutions Pty Ltd, Consulting Electrical Engineers Leading Engineer of the World 2006, UK Authority Award

Recent unrest at the Chavakacheri Base Hospital (CBH) and the A9 roadside has prompted me to write this small narrative of the politics and culture of Tamil doctors from my experience with the Tamil doctors in SL.

I was on holiday and in my village which is about six miles from Jaffna town, I experienced pain in my right side of the belly. My dad who was a retired Police officer (Sub-Inspector) took me to the Araly West unit and the Apothecary there asked my dad to take me to the Jaffna Hospital immediately as I had an appendectomy (serious). He took me to the Jaffna hospital and the doctor immediately checked me and fixed me for operation. This was on a Sunday around 5 pm and the operation was fixed for 10 am on Monday. I was taken to the theatre and the Surgeon did the operation on Monday at 10:00 am and I was looked after well. After one week I was discharged, and the doctor asked me to check with him every three days for two weeks. This was in 1964 April. During this time the Jaffna Hospital was clean, effective, and efficient with Tamil doctors performing their duties with care. For the one week there I observed every patient was looked after well. It was the love of the medical facility towards the patients that attracted me. There was no bribery or corrupt act during this period.

In November 1965, I was given a job with the DGEU (Electricity department). I had to come to Jaffna for the medical examination that was required by the DGEU. All the tests were okay and finally, the ECG test and the signing-off were given to the recently returned Physician. His name was Dr Jeyasingham, I think (Dr. J). Recently returned as FRCP. He said that I had a heart issue and that he could not sign (based on the ECG). He said that I might die within three years if I did not have surgery to fix it. My dad spoke to the senior Physician Dr. Aanantharajah (Dr. A) and Dr. A came and checked me. He told the Junior physician that it was okay to sign me off as fit for duty. I noticed when Dr A came the junior doctor was a bit worried. Anyway, I worked with the DGEU until I left for the UK to finish my studies and came back and worked with the Cement Works at KKS up to 1977. Cement is hard work as a Works Engineer. After this, I worked in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Australia. Nothing happened to me, and I was quite well.

In 2003 at 60 years of age, I had a heart issue and went through an Angioplasty in Australia. AT 60 I would have retired in Sri Lanka. However, I worked until I was 75 as a Consulting Engineer and retired in Australia. Today, I am 81+.

The issue here is that I presume that the Junior Physician, Dr. J may have expected a bribe from me. He was from Heartley College, and I was also from Heartly College. The doctor was from Point Pedro.

In 2003 I was surprised to meet Dr. A at Gladstone, Australia. What I gathered is that ECG was not a true examination for heart issues as in Australia doctors do not value ECG, however, other examinations. Dr. A also expressed his opinion. I am bringing this information to propagate that some young doctors from the North have a blown head and think that they are superior, just because they are doctors. Only a few doctors are blown-up characters.

There is a Forensic Pathologist here in Australia who talks about caste, and he is great. The guy looks like an African, dark black and from Karaitivu (Karainagar). Whatever it is, he deals with dead bodies.

The issue at CBH is that even if the relatives want to claim the corpse of their relative dead bodies, the hospital staff demands a bribe. What a sick country is SL!

When I was in Nigeria, I went to see a doctor and it was a Tamil woman (Dr. Mrs Arumugam). She is crazy and a sick person. I never went to see her after two times. I managed my medical affairs.

In NZ and Australia, I have never consulted a Tamil doctor.  Always go to a Sinhala doctor or an Australian. In Australia and NZ Tamil doctors want to be the President or the Chairman of Tamil societies or organisations and temples. One doctor was the President of the TRO.

At CBH:

• Why is the Northern administration keen on getting rid of RA?
• Are these jokers scared that their malpractices may be leaked with proof?
• The proof is that the people are with Dr. RA.
• Why have some threatened Dr RA?
• What happened to the expensive medical equipment that was allocated to CBH?
• The Maffia group do not function the total time allocated to function but takes unofficial leave.
• Maybe the private clinics have been throwing/dumping the Medi-waste at Ariyalai/Kallundai.
• The Tamils cannot be corrected as they are not flexible, but rigid in their thoughts and actions.
• Why cannot the government act against Dr. Ketheeswaran?
• The 25 doctors get paid by the government and they also get paid by the private clinics they own.
• How can they shift the state-of-the-art equipment to their private clinic? This is smuggling.
• The character of Tamils is that they are always violent and in a fighting mode.
• Does SL have an Attorney General? Do we have a law in SL?
• During the NPC time, all four ministers were involved in bribery and corruption.
• Why cannot Tamils correct themselves and live peacefully?
• Most Tamils are megalomaniacs.
• The Minister of Health should get up from sleep and act accordingly.
• The Governor of the NP should be given authority to deal with the health department.
• We all know that Keheliya Rambukwella was jailed for fraudulent practice.
• It is recommended that doctors shall be dealt with judicially and prudently.

I am 81+. I have a daughter who is a Surgeon, a Son who has a PhD, and a daughter-in Law who has a PhD and is a Scientist. (The difference between Sri Lanka and Australia). Why cannot SL get up from malpractices and grow up?