February 02, Colombo (LNW): The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced a further escalation of its industrial action, citing continued inaction by the authorities on a range of long-standing grievances.
The association confirmed that the enhanced measures would take effect from 8.00 a.m. today (02), following what it described as the absence of any meaningful engagement or acceptable proposals from the Ministry of Health.
Under the expanded action, government doctors will cease issuing prescriptions or formal recommendations for medicines and medical equipment that are not available within hospital pharmacies. Referrals for laboratory investigations to be carried out outside hospitals will also be halted when such services cannot be provided internally.
In addition, GMOA members will withdraw from voluntary participation in health camps and clinics organised by political groups, and will no longer agree to staff newly opened wards or units unless the approved cadre of medical officers is in place. Doctors have also been instructed not to examine patients in settings where minimum standards for safety, privacy and support staff are not met.
Specialist services will be restricted to the hospitals to which consultants are officially assigned, with specialists stepping back from covering duties at other institutions that lack permanent specialist staff.
The GMOA first launched island-wide industrial action across government hospitals on January 26 after presenting a set of demands to the government. At the time, the association granted the Minister of Health a 48-hour period to announce concrete solutions.
According to the GMOA, that deadline passed without any satisfactory response. Following an emergency meeting of its Executive Committee held on the morning of January 31, 2026, the association resolved to press ahead with uninterrupted and intensified trade union action until its concerns are adequately addressed.
