Right Of Reply

The Editor
Sunday Leader

This is in reply to the news item “Death Threats To Oncologists” that appeared in The Sunday Leader on 24th October 2010.

We strongly reject and protest the allegations made against us by the one of oncologists and by your paper publication.
The therapy radiographers at Maharagama Cancer Hospital have not threatened anybody as it is stated in your article. We vehemently condemn the statement that the radiographers ask for ransom from patients who receive radio-therapy treatment. We have neither utilized the radiotherapy sources for any illegal purpose as stated in the article, nor have committed any adulterous acts in the work place as it is stated by these consultants.

We have to state that the cameras mentioned in the article have been installed without considering our opinion.
It has been stated that the cameras were fixed according to the international requirements and regulations. We have no objections for fixing cameras focusing at the radioactive sources for the purpose of protecting them from mishandling.
But these cameras are focused on the radiographers work station and the patient couch, with the aim of recording the performance of the radiographer and the patient during the treatment procedures.
There are no any international regulations that the work of a professional is monitored remotely by video recording his performance in the work place. And it is against medical ethics that the patient undergoing treatment is video recorded without his consent.
If somebody says that this action was taken to prevent misuse of the Cobalt sources and to prevent any ill disciplined behaviour of radiographers we work against that. It is not a democratic way to prevent such things. There are individual elements in any profession who have misbehaviors. The so called noble medical profession is not spared. Therefore this action of using video camera surveillance for monitoring radiographers conduct is unjust, undemocratic and  violation of the human rights of the innocent radiographers.
We wish to mention again that we reject the allegations made by the oncologists.
It may be that they who have supported this illicit project wasting millions of rupees felt guilty within themselves and is in hallucination that they may be targeted by someone and is trying to defend putting the blame on the radiographers
We have no hesitation to go for a trade union action if those false allegations are not withdrawn and if any injustice is caused to the therapy radiographers.
We request you to give this letter a similar publicity in your paper as it was given to the article “Death Threat To Oncologists” last week.

Dharmakeerthi Epa
General Secretary
Government Radiological Technologists AssociationRight Of Reply
The Editor
Sunday Leader

This is in reply to the news item “Death Threats To Oncologists” that appeared in The Sunday Leader on 24th October 2010.

We strongly reject and protest the allegations made against us by the one of oncologists and by your paper publication.
The therapy radiographers at Maharagama Cancer Hospital have not threatened anybody as it is stated in your article. We vehemently condemn the statement that the radiographers ask for ransom from patients who receive radio-therapy treatment. We have neither utilized the radiotherapy sources for any illegal purpose as stated in the article, nor have committed any adulterous acts in the work place as it is stated by these consultants.

We have to state that the cameras mentioned in the article have been installed without considering our opinion.
It has been stated that the cameras were fixed according to the international requirements and regulations. We have no objections for fixing cameras focusing at the radioactive sources for the purpose of protecting them from mishandling.
But these cameras are focused on the radiographers work station and the patient couch, with the aim of recording the performance of the radiographer and the patient during the treatment procedures.
There are no any international regulations that the work of a professional is monitored remotely by video recording his performance in the work place. And it is against medical ethics that the patient undergoing treatment is video recorded without his consent.
If somebody says that this action was taken to prevent misuse of the Cobalt sources and to prevent any ill disciplined behaviour of radiographers we work against that. It is not a democratic way to prevent such things. There are individual elements in any profession who have misbehaviors. The so called noble medical profession is not spared. Therefore this action of using video camera surveillance for monitoring radiographers conduct is unjust, undemocratic and  violation of the human rights of the innocent radiographers.
We wish to mention again that we reject the allegations made by the oncologists.
It may be that they who have supported this illicit project wasting millions of rupees felt guilty within themselves and is in hallucination that they may be targeted by someone and is trying to defend putting the blame on the radiographers
We have no hesitation to go for a trade union action if those false allegations are not withdrawn and if any injustice is caused to the therapy radiographers.
We request you to give this letter a similar publicity in your paper as it was given to the article “Death Threat To Oncologists” last week.

Dharmakeerthi Epa
General Secretary
Government Radiological Technologists Association