GMOA suspends admission of patients 

By Shezna Shums

The ongoing strike initiated by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) precipitated into a huge crisis when the GMOA ordered two of the largest hospitals in the country, the Kalubowila Hospital and the Ragama Hospital not to admit new patients.

Dr. N.S.S. Senaratne, member of the media committee of the GMOA, warned of serious consequences if the government continued to ignore the demands of the doctors. “The government must focus its attention to this problem forthwith. Otherwise we will further extend our trade union action,” he told The Sunday Leader.

According to him, thousands of surgeries have been postponed due to the ongoing strike that enters the 11th day with no solution in sight. Around 300 to 400 surgeries are usually performed daily.

The GMOA has also directed doctors from the peripheral hospitals to withdraw from the hospitals they are attached to.

They have also been told not to admit patients if the government is not going to give them a favourable answer, Dr. Senaratne said.

The strike sparked off on June 12 with a demand by the doctors to the government to rectify their salary anomalies.

The GMOA also rejected a decision taken by the government to empower a specially appointed committee to look into their salary anomalies. The doctors charged that they do not expect the cabinet to empower a committee, but want the cabinet of ministers themselves to approve the rectification of their anomalies instead.

The government issued a circular informing the doctors that the cabinet has appointed a committee to look into their salary anomalies and recommend suitable solutions, but the doctors said they "cannot tolerate this".

An estimated 7,500 doctors attached to the GMOA are participating in the island-wide strike.

Meanwhile, Health Minister, P. Dayaratne told The Sunday Leader that the government is willing to meet their demands, but not immediately. According to him, the Treasury will have to spend more than Rs. 500 million per year to pay existing salary arrears.