July 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health, Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday revealed that 12 medical specialists who had been given appointments in the rural areas have “gone missing”.

Speaking at a meeting the Minister said all these doctors who had received their new appointments during the last 2 months have gone abroad without informing the authorities.

According to the Ministry records, Sri Lanka has a huge shortage of specialist doctors compared to the country’s population. Though the records suggest that 1652 specialists should be in the country, majority of them have gone abroad looking for higher perks. Rural population is most affected by this shortage.

Minister said that the peoples’ gratitude is with those specialist doctors who stay at home without running after money and give their service to the people who had spent on their education.

“I am thinking of putting notice on Indian newspapers, saying that these doctors have gone on missing with a reward of 100,000 rupees for whoever provides information on them,” the Minister said jokingly.