News
Patients rush to state hospitals as strikers take a short break
Hundreds worried about further disruption have been pouring into public hospitals just after the nursing and supplementary health staff decided to call off their strike.
Long queues and fully occupied seating areas were seen in outpatient departments and clinics with the return of most patients who had been turned away due to last week’s strike by nursing and supplementary healt workers. Many had neither been able to get lab tests done, nor collect prescribed medicines.
H.A. Sumanawathie, 70, from Colombo who had returned home without her medicine last week, was hopeful that on Friday her prescription will be fulfilled.
“The hospital clinic issues medicines for a month. Many people who went to Osu Sala outlets were given medicine for a week and some medicines were not available, too,” she said.
Asoka Gamage, 56, from Horana said he was relieved to hear that the strike had ended, but is worried about further disruption.
Crowds back at the National Hospital to collect prescribed medicines (above and left). Pix by Akila Jayawardana
“Patients are in pain and are worried. They are not financially able to purchase medicine from outside or get tests/x-rays done,” he said.
Saman Ratnapriya of the Government Nursing Officers Association, said that other than this union that has been
issued with an enjoining order, all other 18 health sector unions representing nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technologists, paramedics, radiologists, public
health officers and supplementary medical staff will go on strike next week.
“Out of our seven demands, only
the demand to backdate the promotions from Grade II to Grade I was approved when President Rajapaksa met health officials. Salary anomalies have not been taken into consideration at all. The meeting with the President did not have any representation from the trade unions whose grievances have not been addressed,” he said.
A motion filed against the enjoining order will be taken at Colombo District Court tomorrow, he said.
| Govt. docs call off token strike Government doctors on Saturday decided to call off their token strike scheduled for Monday. “We decided to call off the strike as both the Prime Minister and the Health Minister assured us that the salary and wages policy will not be violated as it would create a wave of strikes in the government sector,” said Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) assistant secretary, Dr. Naveen de Soyza. GMOA assistant secretary, Dr. Naveen de Soyza earlier told the Sunday Times that if the government failed to assure in writing that the national salaries and wages policy would not be violated and ensured adherence to recommendations made by the Salaries and Cadre Commission, doctors would go ahead with Monday’s token strike. “GMOA members met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on Friday and highlighted the concern that trying to solve salary anomalies by appointing Cabinet sub-committees or by adhering to demands of unions would have a long-term effect to the state sector. There would be more strikes in the future, and not only in the health sector,” he warned.
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