Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya Melbourne, Australia

The Secretary,
The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry
Mr. W.M.D Wanninayaka

Dear Sir,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 194 new ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-DispensersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ News Item

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has appointed 194 Dispensers to rural hospitals island-wide, Media Secretary to the Health Ministry W.M.D Wanninayaka told www.news.lkƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is indeed encouraging to hear that the replacement of Sanitary labourers who administered a very important section in a hospital by Dispensers!

I believe sanitary labourers now Dispensers have been handling a very responsible task of issuing of medicine to out door patients. The administration of the Ministry of Health would have been ashamed to realize that the most important area of the rural hospitals had been over looked by all responsible authorities long enough to bring about trained staff to take over this job.

While I commend this change, I also appreciate if you could consider a change of the title ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-DispenserƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ with a more graceful title say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Junior PharmacistƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, technically in the western World a Pharmacist is well qualified enough in Pharmacology with three years (a University Degree) intensive training, they are almost in par with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ApothecaryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka use to have in the past. Excuse my ignorance if this category still serves the health industry as I have left the shores of Sri Lanka for sometime!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Besides the term Dispenser as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispenser doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t match the nature of the service they render.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In this day in age the titles of many services are glorified giving respectability to dignity of labour,

examples: A clerk is Admin Officer, Assistant Engineer is Engineer, Prostitute is sex worker, servant is Domestic worker, technician is Technical Officer etc.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If this suggestion to the Tile change is brought to the attention of the Hon Minister and change is accepted just imagine the mental satisfaction the staff would enjoy, perhaps they may Worship the minister.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yours Sincerely,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya
Melbourne, Australia