Allegations have surfaced against Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) President and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo, Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, accusing him of attempting to disrupt the recent appointment of Prof. Jennifer Perera as Registrar of the Ceylon Medical College Council (CMCC).
In an email to senior academic staff at the University of Colombo, Prof. Dissanayake questioned the legitimacy of Prof. Perera’s appointment, calling it “irregular” and claiming it had bypassed standard procedures. He argued that the appointment of eligible Chair Professors to the CMCC should have preceded the selection of a Registrar by consensus.
He also expressed concern that several qualified professors were excluded from the CMCC, while individuals with no affiliation to the University of Colombo—including retired and junior academics from other institutions—were included. Additionally, he objected to the appointment of a non-faculty member, who is not a pharmacist, to the Council’s designated pharmacist position.
According to the email, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS)—who chairs the CMCC—expressed “shock and disbelief” over the developments, and an unnamed Minister asked Prof. Dissanayake to submit the matter in writing. He said he has since written to the Minister and copied the letter to the University’s Vice Chancellor, requesting that the matter be raised at the University Council.
The email was sent shortly after Prof. Jennifer Perera’s official appointment by Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, with the letter presented by Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni. Prof. Dissanayake claimed the appointments were made while the Health Minister, the Ministry Secretary, and the DGHS were attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
However, sources told the Daily Mirror that Prof. Dissanayake’s objections are an attempt to interfere with the appointment and potentially secure the position for himself. “He once held all three posts—Dean, SLMC President, and CMCC Registrar—which violated governance norms,” a source alleged. Prof. Dissanayake is the immediate past Registrar of the CMCC.
