A highly placed source told Daily Mirror Dr Udayanthi Nanayakkara, the consultant anaesthetist had not reported to duty since last Friday (01) and the hospital management had tried to contact her, but she was not contactable.

However, the source said the higher-ups of the hospital had received a WhatsApp message via an unknown number on Monday (04) where it had been written that the consultant would not be reporting to duty. The message was received in the form of a letter. Later, the higher-ups learned that the message had been sent by the parents of the consultant.

Though the higher-ups of the hospital reached the parents to ask for the whereabouts of the daughter (the consultant), the parents had not provided any specific information. Whether she had gone abroad or not is still to be found out.

Due to this development, ICU operations have come to a halt. Furthermore, the patients who are to undergo surgeries like Caesarean sections and complicated surgeries are sent to the Teaching Hospitals in Ratnapura and Karapitiya due to the unavailability of the consultant anaesthetist.

Besides, the hospital management has informed this to the Health Ministry, and it is yet to respond to the matter.

A top health official also said despite the need for two consultant anaesthetists at the Embilipitiya Hospital since it is a District General Hospital, the post of consultant anaesthetist had been vacant for about three months. However, Dr Udayanthi Nanayakkara who joined the hospital two months ago is no more.

(Sheain Fernandopulle)