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Govt. doctors demand massive allowances, schools for children
Non-emergency surgeries will not be done, clinics will not be held, and out patient departments will not function from next Friday, when government doctors halt work to demand million rupee annual allowances, school privileges for their children, and solutions to nine other gripes, including the approval of the Singapore free trade agreement.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association says discussions have been sought with the government. The group also says the government is now even taxing sick people. The GMOA president, Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya also claimed that the Association of Medical Specialists, private sector consultants and university consultants will join the token strike.
Dr Haritha Aluthge, Secretary of the Association said special hospitals will be excluded from the strike. “Paediatric hospitals, maternity hospitals, the Maharagama Cancer hospital and the renal units of hospitals will function.’’ Awareness campaigns are being carried out to inform the public.
The GMOA is fighting for 10 demands: approve Disturbance Availability and Transport allowance revision; gazette the minimum standards of medical education by the Sri Lanka Medical Council; the negative impact of the taxation policy on professionals including doctors; rectify gross violation of national wage policy; formulate a national trade policy to ensure the safety of service sectors of the country before signing the Singapore Free Trade Agreement; hold SLMC elections as planned, formulate a National Allowance Policy for government sector and increase allowances according to a policy; rectify the anomalies in the grade promotion scheme of medical officers; providing schools for doctors’ children, and finally, and adhere to Medical Service Minute provision.
However, the president of the Independent Medical Specialists Association Dr Maiya Gunasekara told the Sunday Times that it is highly unlikely that the group will join. The association which represents 30 to 40 consultants from the private sector is not a trade union but a forum to exchange ideas on matters relating to the medical field and patients, such as the taxation policy on professional fees, he said.
“It is very unfair to have a price ceiling for channeling and consultation only for the medical professionals. The government has not attempted to put a system in place for other professionals and monitor them,’’ he said. Dr Gunasekara suggests 15% to 16% tax on professional fees would have been reasonable but not 24%.
The association will meet next week, and these issues will be discussed.
The deputy director of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital said emergency cases will be attended to.She said that despite the strikes, some consultants report to work. The secretary of the Private Hospital Association said it had not been informed officially of any strike, but if private sector doctors are involved, channel practice will not be held in private hospitals
| MONEY, MONEY, PUBLIC MONEY By once again going on strike, here is what is at the core of the clamour made by more than 18,000 government doctors: # A transport allowance of Rs 100,000 a month, including Rs 20,000 for driver, Rs 50,000 vehicle and maintenance allowance, and Rs 30,000 for fuel for their rides. These expenses are demanded from the public purse under a category that requires doctors to report to work, or ‘Disturbance, Availability and Transport Allowance’. This package itself will cost the public Rs 1.2 million a year for a single doctor. Rs 30,000 special allowance for medical administrators Taxes- no more than 12% for them; the doctors say that high taxes under the new Inland Revenue Act is an effort to drive out professionals. Note: Rs 100,000 monthly profit from job is exempt from tax, according to information on the GMOA website. If monthly profit exceeds Rs 350,000, the tax is 24% less Rs 54,000. The monthly profit includes allowances, housing, telephone bills, and insurance. | |