Dr. Neville Fernando sues Prof. Carlo for Rs 500M

Dr. Neville Fernando, Chairman of the Neville Fernando Hospital in Malabe, said he would sue Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council Professor Carlo Fonseka with a demand of Rs 500 million over allegations he has made regarding the death of Most Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera.

Dr. Fernando told the media at a briefing yesterday that he had demanded compensation against a statement made by Professor Fonseka to the media relating to the late Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera which stated that the Neville Fernando Hospital was responsible for the death of the late Thera.

He denied these ‘blatant allegations’ and revealed information regarding the late Thera’s stay at his hospital prior to his transfer out of the hospital and subsequent death.

According to Dr. Fernando, Most Ven. Sobhitha Thera’s stay in the hospital was uneventful and he was sent for a review on the 22 October 2015 which was scheduled by the Central Hospital where his cardiac surgery was carried-out. “The late Venerable Sobhitha Thera was in a good condition of health when he left our hospital,” he said adding that no surgical procedures were performed at the Neville Fernando Hospital, nor any diagnostic or invasive procedures on the late Sobhitha

Thera were carried-out during his stay at the hospital.

“No blood transfusion was done during the late Thera’s stay in this hospital. No artificial oxygen resuscitation procedure was administered to the Ven. Thera in the hospital as there was no need for any of these procedures. Late Venerable Sobhitha Thera was not airlifted to Singapore from our hospital.

We have been informed that he was airlifted in the early hours of the morning on 3 November, whereas we discharged the late Venerable Sobhitha Thera as far back as 22 October, and he was in good condition when he left our hospital. The late Ven. Sobhitha Thera did not suffer from Pneumonia or any other infection when he left our hospital,” he opined.

Following the death of the late Thera a controversy erupted revolving around the circumstances of his passing away.

Dr. Carlo Fonseka speaking to the media earlier this week said that the fate of the late Thera could have been changed if the doctors had suggested an alternate medical therapy or treatment before his surgery. Subsequently, this gave rise to several theories and speculations which cited several doubtful events that resulted in his death and the involvement of the Neville Fernando Hospital in it.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By Kavindya Chris Thomas)