GMOA strike against the minister, saying 'show us by destroying jobs if you can'.

The ongoing crisis between the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) and the Minister of Health is further escalating, with both parties maintaining a firm stance regarding the doctors' trade union actions and new medical appointments.

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has commenced a trade union action covering several hospitals island-wide from 8:00 AM today, its Secretary, Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa, confirmed. However, with the aim of minimizing inconvenience to patients, maternity, children's, cancer, kidney, mental health, and teaching hospitals have been excluded from this action. To resolve the existing issues, the Medical Association has also decided to call an emergency central committee meeting today and intensify future actions.

The Medical Association has issued an open challenge to the Minister of Health, Dr. Nalintha Jayatissa, to practically implement and demonstrate his alleged statement that health professionals would be removed from service. Dr. Sugathadasa states that there is a contradiction between the Minister's statements and actions, and he also warns him not to join the list of Health Ministers who made wrong decisions and became 'black characters' discarded into the dustbin of history. Furthermore, the Association invites the Minister to abandon frenzy and come for an open dialogue.

On the other hand, the Minister of Health emphasizes that this strike has been launched without any reasonable basis, purely for political motives, to inconvenience the government. He points out that the Medical Association has held hostage the process of recruiting 453 new doctors, who completed their internship after years of education, into government service for its own demands.

The Minister firmly states that the final deadline for these intern doctors to apply for entry into government service ends at 12:00 PM next Saturday, and it will not be extended for any reason. For doctors who do not apply on time, their current hospital service and salaries will cease, and they will have to turn to the private sector. He explained that even if they appeal through the Public Service Commission and reapply later, disregarding the merit order, they would have to join at the very end of the next group of 1300.

The Minister has also requested that if any group obstructs these appointments or in any way threatens the new doctors, they should immediately inform the Ministry of Health without any fear. The Minister of Health further stated that regarding such complaints received, strict investigations will commence after Monday through the Sri Lanka Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and legal action will be taken.