COLOMBO: Dr. Seigu Shihabdeen Mohammad Shafi, a specialist in the obstetrics and gynecology unit of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, who was sent on compulsory leave on false charges of performing infertility surgery, has donated his salary arrears and allowances to the Ministry of Health to buy essential medicines required for the country.
The Court of Appeal recently ordered the Ministry of Health to pay the arrears of salaries and allowances for the period of Dr. Shafi’s suspension before July 10. Last week, the Ministry of Health agreed to settle the overdue wages of Dr. Shafi Sihabdeen before the 10th of July 2022. Hence, the Ministry has now issued a cheque of over Rs. 2.67 million as payment of arrears which included the basic salary, interim allowance, cost of living, and allowance in lieu of pension for the period of compulsory leave imposed on Dr. Shafi Sihabdeen.
Dr. Shafi was arrested over allegations of sterilization of women without their consent at the Kurunegala Teaching hospital.
The controversial action to send Dr. Shafi on compulsory leave was taken on May 23, 2019, with a revelation made by a leading Sri Lankan newspaper that Dr. Shafi has performed illegal sterilizations of thousands of women. Against this backdrop, Dr. Shafi was arrested by the Kurunegala Police on May 25, 2019 on charges of illegally acquiring assets.
Following the investigations conducted, in June 2019 the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) informed court that there was no evidence to prove the allegations made against Dr. Shafi.
Subsequently, on July 25, 2019, the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court ordered that the doctor be released on bail and further investigations were expedited under the CID.
The Public Services Commission in December 2021 decided to reinstate Dr. Shafi and instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Health to pay arrears of his salary for the period he was sent on compulsory leave.
