The minister is firm against the GMOA strike, which is being held for one of the 16 who did not complete their training.

This time, the government has given an unexpectedly strong response to the doctors' strike, which arises amidst the sighs of patients.

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has once again launched a 48-hour nationwide strike effective from 8:00 AM today (09). Responding strongly, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa emphasized in Parliament today that the crucial discussion scheduled to be held with the medical association today has been completely suspended due to their unreasonable behavior.

The real victims of this crisis are the helpless patients who visit hospitals seeking treatment. Additionally, new doctors preparing to take the first step in their professional lives are also facing severe difficulties amidst this power struggle. As revealed by the Minister in Parliament, the Government Medical Officers' Association has severely threatened doctors who were due to receive appointments last Tuesday in Colombo, instructing them not to accept these appointments, and this influence has been continuously exerted through the media as well.

The Minister's accusation is that this conflict, which has arisen concerning the process of appointing post-intern doctors, is a baseless attempt by a small group to achieve their political objectives. Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that out of the 453 relevant doctors, 436 had already applied for their appointments by April 4th. Of the remaining, 16 had not properly completed their training, and he clarified to the House that only one person had actually not applied.

The government's stance is that the Government Medical Officers' Association has no legal right to intervene in the first appointments of intern doctors. The Minister stated that the intervention of transfer boards is not required for initial appointments, and if any legal error has occurred on the part of the Ministry, it is their duty to go to court instead of striking and inconveniencing patients.

He warned that the government would not tolerate launching strikes without any basis at such a complex moment when a tense situation like the Middle East crisis exists on one side of the world. The Health Minister extended an open invitation to new doctors to commence their duties from today without fear, confirming that arrangements have been made to provide maximum police protection for this purpose.

With this strong attack by the government on traditional trade union activism, which believed it could bring the government to its knees by holding patients hostage, the burden of determining the next chapter in the health sector has now once again fallen on the shoulders of the Government Medical Officers' Association.