Induction of the 20th President of the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka and Presidential address was held on recently at Earls Court, Cinnamon Lakeside amongst a large gathering of eminent medical professionals.
The newly elected President of Dr. D. K. D. Mathew stated that The College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka is a voluntary organization committed to enhance the medical practice of the General Practitioners of Sri Lanka. It is the apex, academic and professional body of General Practitioners in Sri Lanka. It has its origin in 1969 and was incorporated in 1974.
A General practitioner (GP) is the first point of care for anyone in the community having a physical or mental ailment. The profession of GP is not limited to any one medical specialty or organ of the body but covers a variety of medical problems requiring GP to solve clinical puzzles and make accurate and timely diagnosis of diseases and proper management taking in to consideration all aspects of their patients’ life to provide the best possible care in the most cost-effective manner.
The newly elected President notes that the patient demand is continuously on the rise and will continue to rise, however the number of GP’s is far from keeping pace.He states, the recent Covid- 19 pandemic has thus far had a major impact in the manner in which GPs operate.
It has become evident that GP’s must seek out such digital solutions and online tools that will enable the patient to receive advice, treatments, prescriptions and referrals.
He proposes a more effective, strong and expanding general practice is needed now more than ever before, in order to find better and smarter ways to help the growing elderly population remain healthy and independent, the consequence of which would otherwise lead to hospitals being overwhelmed.
Dr. Mathew maintains that in the future, our health service will rely on General Practitioners with the capabilities and competence to deliver care closer to home and reduce the state’s reliance on hospital care. He further notes that the General Practitioners are the foundation on which our health services are built on and that recognition of General Practitioners will cherish our medical services, ignore us, and it will crumble.
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