Govt. doctors to launch island wide strike

An islandwide strike is scheduled to be launched by the  Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) at 08:00 am today (21), pressing that seven key demands be met.

In an attempt to gain equal access to healthcare across the island, amongst other demands, government doctors from hospitals islandwide are due to participate in the strike.

While daily functions such as ward services and the Out Patient Departments(OPD) will be suspended as a result of the strike, Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and vaccination centres at hospitals will remain undisrupted.

Moreover,  the strike will not be carried out at children’s hospitals, maternity hospitals, cancer hospitals, and COVID-19 treatment centres, officials of the GMOA assured.

The GMOA went on to hold the Ministry of Health accountable for any complaints that may arise resultantly, attributing it to their failure to resolve the matter.

Government doctors staged a 24-hour token strike yesterday (20) in Mannar, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa, protesting against post-internship appointments without approval by the transfer board.