Health professionals at Karapitiya Hospital on strike

Several health professionals attached to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital today (3) launched a token strike for four hours from 8.00 am to 12.00 noon demanding an immediate solution to the problems they are facing while performing their Corona-related duties.

It was supported by about 20 trade unions in the services of paramedics, nurses, junior staff, drivers and clerks.

They demanded that hospital staff be provided with adequate masks and protective clothing when providing services to Corona-infected patients and their associates, and that specific arrangements be made for sick health staff to receive treatment and quarantine facilities for their associates and family members.

The striking and protesting workers also demanded that as there are still a number of health workers who have not been vaccinated against the Corona virus, they should be vaccinated immediately and that in an environment where even workers in doctors' homes were vaccinated, it should be made available to their spouses and parents as well.

 “The government has clearly issued a circular not to call pregnant public servants to work these days. However, pregnant health workers are being called in violation of the health service circular. The most serious problem here is that these pregnant health workers work directly with corona patients and associates. Therefore, we urge the government to protect the pregnant staff in the health sector the sameway it is done in other offices. In addition, I was paid an allowance to work on public holidays. Now that allowance has been slashed. We demand that this allowance also is paid,” the President of the Government Nurses Association Karapitiya Hospital, Priyantha Gallage said.

(Text and pix by Surangika Lokukarawita)