There was no wrongdoing on the part of the Health Ministry in granting post-internship appointments to medical doctors and the appointments were made on a priority basis taking into account the vacancies, said acting Deputy Director General of Health (Health Services) Specialist Dr. G. Wijesuriya, responding to the token strike launched by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) in five districts in protest of the transfer boards.
There was no need to strike if there was a problem, the acting Deputy Director General noted, in what he described as an act of ‘sabotage,’ adding that such a dispute can be complained to the Public Service Commission.
Dr. Wijesuriya explained that in preparing the transfer boards, vacancy documents are being obtained from the Provincial Directors of Health, District Directors of Health as well as Hospital Directors and given in order of priority.
Revealing that there are about three thousand medical vacancies islandwide, the acting Deputy Director General of Health added that appointments have been made with priority in mind and the GMOA too has been involved in the process to further ensure transparency.
He added that none of the essential services are disrupted by the strike action and the rumours that the Hingurakgoda Covid Treatment Centre was closed were false. As of now, 17 medical officers have been assigned at the centre treating about 120 patients, he added.
About five hundred new appointments will be made today and more than a thousand more will be given appointments by January 15, 2022, the acting Deputy Director General of Health added.