Health sector unions and Finance Ministry to meet today

Representatives from the Ministry of Finance and trade unions in the health sector are scheduled to meet later today (6) to address allowance concerns raised by health workers.

According to Ravi Kumudesh, Convenor of the Health Trade Union Alliance, the meeting is scheduled for noon, following President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s instructions.

Health sector professionals, including radiology technicians, pharmacists, midwives, dental surgeons, and entomology officers, have repeatedly called for an allowance increase through trade union activity.

They temporarily called off their strikes as a meeting with the Treasury Secretary and the President’s Secretary was promised.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved President Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance for government doctors, leading to trade union actions among other health workforce.

The DAT allowance for doctors was later reduced by half by the Government on January 23 due to financial constraints.