Continuous doctors' strikes from Monday (26) - GMOA blames the government for patients' helplessness

Protesting the Ministry of Health's failure to implement agreed-upon solutions so far, the Government Medical Officers' Association has decided to commence a continuous trade union action in all government hospitals island-wide from 8.00 AM tomorrow (26).

Joining a press conference held this afternoon (25), the association's secretary, Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa, stated that this protest would be implemented under five trade union actions.

Accordingly, doctors have decided not to issue recommendation slips for obtaining medicines from private pharmacies if a certain medicine is unavailable in clinics or outpatient departments within the hospital system, and not to advise patients to get laboratory tests that cannot be performed inside the hospital done externally.

Furthermore, doctors have decided not to allow the establishment of new units within hospitals when the approved number of doctors cannot be provided, and not to participate in health camps organized based on political needs.

Additionally, if an assistant officer required to examine a patient in a clinic is not provided to the doctor, the doctors will withdraw from that location.

Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa pointed out that this action is not a withdrawal from service, but rather performing duties only within a proper environment where service can be rendered, and emphasized that the Ministry of Health, the Minister, and the government must take full responsibility for the situation arising from tomorrow.