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GMOA suspends strike, claims President agreed to demands
View(s):Government doctors yesterday called off a strike that had paralysed public hospitals after they reached an accord with President Maithripala Sirisena.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) claimed that the President had agreed to accept several demands made by the doctors relating to the controversial South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM). However, the President’s Office said a statement on the talks would be issued only today.
The GMOA claimed that there had been agreement to suspend further registration of students to SAITM and to strip the institution of its degree awarding status. There was also agreement to convey the Government’s stance on the SAITM to the Supreme Court through the Attorney General. The GMOA said there had also been agreement that there would be no action that had an impact on the independence of the Sri Lanka Medical Council or its president. There would be a new approach to resolve the issue without an impact on the people.
The GMOA said it would launch a token strike if there were indications that the Government was going back on promises made to the doctors by the President. GMOA Secretary Dr. Naveen de Soysa said the doctors would on Tuesday decide on their next move after an assessment of how the government was implementing these promises. Dr. de Soysa warned that if any Government Ministers attempted to stop the implementation of agreement reached with the President, there would be another strike.
The GMOA said it emphasised at the meeting that a solution should be based on a proposal made by the GMOA, Deans of Medical Faculties and Student organisations.
The GMOA initially launched a token strike on Thursday to condemn attacks on university students by police after they stormed the Health Ministry. Meanwhile, thousands of patients were seriously affected by the doctors’ strike. Most clinics were postponed and routine surgeries delayed.
Despite claims by the GMOA that the dengue patients will not be affected by the strikes, a large number of them were left unattended during the strike.