January 25, Colombo (LNW): The Government Medical Officers’ Association has announced plans to commence an island-wide indefinite trade union action from tomorrow (26), citing what it describes as the Health Ministry’s failure to honour previously agreed commitments.
Addressing a media briefing this afternoon, GMOA Secretary Dr Prabath Sugathadasa said the action would begin at 8.00 a.m. on Monday and would affect services at state-run hospitals across the country. He noted that the move follows weeks of discussions that, according to the association, have not produced tangible outcomes.
As part of the industrial action, government doctors will refrain from prescribing medicines that patients are required to purchase from private pharmacies. In addition, requests for certain laboratory investigations will also be suspended, a measure the GMOA says is intended to highlight systemic shortcomings rather than inconvenience patients unnecessarily.
Dr Sugathadasa added that the association’s Central Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to review the situation and decide on the next course of action. He warned that if authorities continue to ignore their concerns, the union is prepared to escalate the protest further.
The announcement comes shortly after the GMOA concluded a 48-hour token strike, which was held from the morning of January 23 and ended earlier today. That initial action, the association said, was meant as a warning over unresolved issues within the public health sector.
