A total of 785 doctors who have completed Doctor of Medicine (MD) are pegged to leave for foreign training in the coming months, Daily Mirror learns.

It has triggered concerns whether they will return in the current context after completion of their training to be consultants.

According to reliable sources, a total of 822 doctors are currently undergoing training in foreign countries while 632 are preparing for the MD exam.

A senior health official told Daily Mirror that it is highly unlikely that all 822 doctors will be returning, given the situation in the country.

However, plans are afoot to take steps to retain the existing doctors and medical specialists.

According to the Ministry of Health, in 2022, Sri Lanka had approximately 20,000 serving doctors and around 2,800 consultants.