COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (News Cutter) – The Director General of Health Services, Asela Gunawardena, recently announced that almost 400 doctors who left the country for training have not returned to Sri Lanka yet.

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), 67 specialist doctors have failed to return to the country this year, despite entering into an agreement with the MOH.

As a result, several medical units of hospitals have been closed, and the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital has been forced to shut down its paediatric ward due to the departure of all four paediatricians.

It is worth noting that the situation is not limited to the health sector, as other industries are also experiencing a dearth of talent due to human capital flight.

Universities are reportedly struggling with a severe shortage of academic staff, and many IT professionals are also leaving the country in large numbers, which could make Sri Lanka less attractive to foreign IT companies.

One of the main reasons for this exodus is the newly-introduced tax regime, which has created financial difficulties for many professionals.

The loss of talented professionals is a major concern for the country as it has negative implications for the development of industries and the economy as a whole.

While Sri Lanka has been grappling with an economic crisis for some time, the departure of highly skilled professionals further exacerbates the situation.

Professionals and academics urge that the government must take immediate action to address the root causes of the issue and create an environment that is conducive to the retention of highly skilled professionals. (Lahiru Doloswala)